A Song Of Storm And Fire
by 93BNMill
Summary: Rae, a single mother of twins and homeless between jobs, is a woman running from the past. When forced to house a group of killers, she struggles to stay afloat as the shadows of the unknown close in. To defend her family, she realizes her survival rests upon her ability to deceive, and escape, her captors and an old enemy thought to be long gone. To live means to be ready to die.
1. 01, July 2017

**A Song Of Storm And Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

* * *

The heavens were dark.

Rae Lovelace eyed the sky with a critical eye, gaze on the rolling, almost-black clouds. Sitting on the swing set, hands limp in her lap, she frowned. A storm was coming. She wasn't surprised. A sharp, high-pitched laugh drew her attention away from the sky to the squealing child running away from a tall, grinning woman. A smile spread across Rae's face as she watched Lexi and Brynlee's antics, unable to soft the soft laugh that slipped through pink lips.

Off to the side, Lexi's twin, Thom, sat on the top of the jungle gym. Rae rose from her place, stepping into the playground's sandy grounds, and made her way through the frowning child. His gaze shifted to her as she neared, his head dipping in greeting. She leaned against the ladder his feet dangled over, eyeing the fair-haired child for a moment in silence.

Many of the other adults eyed her, lips pursed. It wasn't the first time, Rae mused to herself as she looked up at her child. She was young to have children his and Lexi's age. Barely a year out of high school. She wondered how people in this town would react, if they were judge…

"Aren't you going to join in, Thom?" The small child shook his head, lips pressing into a tight line. After a moment, Rae looks towards the other two. Lexi had just darted under one of the seesaws with an echoing laugh, causing the brunette following to dig her heels into the ground. Brynlee laughed, eyes gleaming with amusement as she called out, "Run, little girl, _run!"_

Her gaze shifted back to the child, voice light as she said, "Come here, Thom. Come to mama."

He slipped off the top of the jungle gym without hesitation. Rae wrapped her arms around the thin child, smiling as she made her way towards the other two. Brynlee caught sight of her and stood, wiping her forehead clear of sweat as she asked, "Time to head home, mama bear?"

Lexi pouted, her large eyes staring imploringly up at Rae as the child said, "Can we stay a little longer, mama? _Please?"_

Rae eyed the child for a moment. "No. We'd best get home. If the weather is nice, we'll come back tomorrow. Now get your little butt in the car."

Lexi darted off, Brynlee on her heels. Rae could hear the two talking as she followed, Thom tucked against her side. He played with the edges of her sleeves, the wide fabric sliding between his fingers as he smiled. Running a hand through his hair, Rae offered a sad, but gentle, smile.

Her children, her sister-in-arms – she'd be lost without them.

As she advanced on the car, Brynlee said, "Lexi's buckled in. How's Thom?"

"Tired, I think," Rae circled the car, opening the back door to the passenger's side. She set the still child into his seat, buckling him in as she continued, "I'm much the same. I'm ready to get to the estate to see what we have to work with this time around."

Brynlee groaned. When Rae tossed look over the top of the car towards the taller woman, her friend offered a sharp grin. Tossing the keys over the roof, Rae climbed into the car as Brynlee said, "Another rundown home with an attitude. Is there power? Probably not. Perhaps we'll finally meet the Crooked Man!"

Rae rolled her eyes at the energetic female bouncing in the driver's seat, smiling fondly as the car roared to life. Lexi squealed in the back seat, giggling happily as she babbled away at her brother. A quick look in the review mirror showed Thom giving his twin his full attention, dark eyes focused on the hands swinging through the air.

Turning her gaze to the road, Rae said, "Let's get going."

It took them well over an hour to find the house. It was located deep in the woods, off an old, nearly invisible county road that hadn't been repaired in a long while. Rae grasped the shit-handle in a white-knuckled grip as they hit another pothole, sending the passengers jumping out of their seats involuntarily.

Lexi was wide-eyed and silent, grasping her brother's hand in her own. Thom held onto his seat, eyes clenched shut as they continued to bump their way around a sharp corner. Brynlee, slightly green, forced a laugh before saying, "Should be there _any minute now…"_

"If my car breaks because of this, I'm gonna be pissed," Rae muttered under her breath as the car hit another pothole, the front of the car diving, and then bouncing, without warning. Her head hit the ceiling hard enough to earn a slew of curses, temples pounding as a headache blared to life. "If we die on this bloody road, I'll haunt the bastard who sold this place to us!"

The ride seemed to go on forever. As they finally crept upon an iron-wrought gate, parts of it rusted with disuse, Rae demanded the car be stopped. Brynlee did so, parking the car and slumping back into her seat. Rae kicked the door open, advancing on the towering gate with narrowed eyes. It stood before her, one door sealed shut and the other hanging off the side. She slowly turned, gaze landing on the three pairs of eyes watching her from inside the car.

"Looks like we'll be walking from here," She told Brynlee as the older girl climbed out of the car. The brunette came over, pressing against the still-closed door of half the gate. It didn't budge. Rae made her way to the back of the car, calmly unbuckling the kids as she said, "Get your overnight bag. We'll walk to the house and call someone in the morning to get the doors open."

"Do we _have_ to walk, mama?" Lexi asked, staring up at her with wide eyes. Her doll was tucked in her arms, lopsided head resting against her shoulder as if it was settling down for a nap. Rae ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, voice light as she answered, "Yeah, we do. When we get to the house, we'll settle in for the night."

Overhead, thunder boomed. A few seconds after, lightning cut across the sky.

Rae popped the trunk, grabbing the few backpacks stashed inside. She handed the children theirs with a slight smile before pulling hers on. She shut the trunk, making her way to where Brynlee was standing. She tossed her the last backpack. Brynlee caught it, shrugging it on with a sigh.

"So much for a good start."

Brynlee squeezed through the gate, helping Thom, then Lexi, through after her. Rae slipped through at the back, shivering as a cold, howling wind kicked up dirt. She watched as it barreled down the old, broken road. She staggered backward as it washed over her car, heading directly for the gate. Turning on her heel, she yelled at the others to run. At her back, it began to pour. Three shrill cries broke the silence as they took off at a run, Thom swiftly pushing to the front with his backpack held up over his head.

The driveway was a long one, but the house stood out like a massive, oppressive shadows in the distance. Rae grabbed Lexi's hand, tugging the thin-legged child down the path and up the steps to the porch of the sprawling complex. Rain poured, finding them through the broken porch's roof even as Rae flipped through the keys she pulled off her belt.

After the third one, the door swung open. The four tumbled through the door into the dark, cold home. Rae pulled off her shirt, flinging it across the room with a poorly-contained curse. Brynlee did the same, the two of them turning to help the twins out of their wet clothing. Lexi jumped foot-to-foot, toes curled as her dress was cast off to the side in a growing pile of clothes while Thom crossed his arms across his torso with a sullen scowl on his face.

"I know, hun," Rae murmured as she knelt in front of him, rifling through the bag she had carried. Lexi darted circles around them, a train of _'cold, cold, cold'_ leaving her mouth. Brynlee was busy going through the other bags, hunting blankets, and food. A stray, cold wind blew through the open space, the four of them shuddering as their skin crawled from the chill. Rae pulled out two thick sweaters, handing one to each child. "Here. This'll keep you warm."

A moment later, Brynlee tossed her a shirt before pulling on a new one. The two of them opted to wear sweatpants, feet bare as they eyed the dark, empty foyer with a sense of dismay. It was a mess. Rae turned to her friend, voice low as she said, "I'm gonna kill them, Bryn. _Kill_ them."

"Don't be brash," Brynlee admonished, grinning. Rae blinked when the older bobbed her on the nose, a wide smile spreading across the brunette's face as she continued, "It's not so bad. In the morning, we'll be better able to see the damage. Then we can start on getting it _fixed_ , hun. Think of the _money_ this place will bring in, once it's brought back to life!"

"I'm thinking of the money it'll take to _fix_ it," Rae muttered as she made her way towards a door to their left. Lexi darted ahead of them, a pale ghost that almost glowed in the creeping shadows. Thom pressed closer to her side, thin hand seeking hers. Rae took his hand, offering a gentle squeeze as she continued, "We'll see what we're working with in the morning. For now, let's find someplace to sleep."

The next room over was a spacious room, one that seemed to vanish into the darkness. A fireplace rested at the center of the room, a massive stone pillar pushing through the ceiling into the floors above. Several seats were littered around it, covered in white sheets. Rae pulled one off, coughing as dust flew into the air. Turning her face away, she sneezed.

"Well, I think we found our bedroom for the night," Brynlee chirped, happily plopping down on another newly uncovered sofa. She slumped onto her side with a groaned. "God, Rae, these things are so _soft!"_

Lexi hopped onto another, bouncing with a spirited laugh. "Soft, mama! Real soft!"

Thom climbed onto the next Rae uncovered, crawling to one corner to rest his head on the armrest. He yawned, blinking tiredly. Rae sat on her own sofa, eyeing the unlit fireplace. For a time, they sat quietly as they listened to the rain and the rumbling thunder. Rae rifled through the bags, tossing each person a snack before pulling out the quilts packed into the bottoms.

She covered the children first before handing Brynlee hers. Rae plopped onto her sofa, sprawling out across it with a semi-warm quilt covering her legs. When the children's soft snore broke the silence, Rae relaxed fully. She was almost asleep with the old estate groaned, the floors creaking as if some great force was pressed upon them.

Then there was blinding light and an echoing, shattering clap of thunder outside.

Rae shot up, eyes wide as she watched bolts of lightning slam into the ground outside. It was easy to see the floor-to-ceiling windows lining one side of the room, giving a perfect view of the world outside. Again, lightning rained down from the heavens. Brynlee was sitting up, gaze set on the windows with her quilt clutched over her heart.

Both children were up once more, eyes wide as they climbed onto Rae's sofa. One pressed into each side of her, dark bags beginning to appear under their eyes as the light show continued outside without any sign of stopping. Brynlee made her way over to them, resting tanned hands on Rae's shoulder as the latter eyed the ongoing storm happening right in her front yard.

The final bolt struck, though Rae did not need to see to feel its impact. Power surged through the house, tossing them from the couch onto the ground with cries of shock and fear. Rae threw herself over the children, skin rippling with gooseflesh as several resounding bangs echoed throughout the house. As she laid there, heart pounding, Rae shuddered.

Had something caved in? Had a light fixture fallen?

A calm seemed to settle and, as Rae rose to her knees, she could not deny the heaviness that seemed to settle over the house. There was static in the air, so thick it made her hair raise on end as she tossed a worried, wide-eyed stare at her friend. Swallowing, the older two rose to their feet while murmuring to the children to _stay down_.

Neither attempted to move, their small frames wrapped pressed close together.

"What the _fuck_ was that?"

Rae drew in a steadying breath, not quite sure of the answer her friend was seeking. Creaking floorboards echoed again. Rae slowly turned, her back flush against Brynlee's. She caught her hand, pulse fluttering rapidly under her fingers. She heard Brynlee swear the same utterance even as Rae made out an advancing figure coming from the darkness at the back of the room.

Mouth dry, Rae watched as a person glided out of the darkness. Adorned in nothing more than a black and red cloak, the young woman watched, suddenly cold, as a _man_ paused to stare at her. At her back, Brynlee's sharp intake of breath told her she was likely seeing something similar.

If Rae thought things couldn't get worse, she was wrong.

The strange man standing in the room, in an equally strange cloak, was armed.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Gods, I cannot remember the last time I thought on _Naruto_ of all things. I use to be a huge fan, years ago. I'm still in love with the Akatsuki, however. I've been reading some FanFiction based around them and it, once more, inspired my own drive to pen down a story with them in it. However, I wasn't sure how to go about this. Most stories I read start off with the infamous organization of criminals _as_ kittens to get them in the story. I didn't want to go that route. I also wanted a different heroine and supporting cast (complete with their own issues to be dealt with). So I have Rae, her children, and her best-friend Brynlee. I can't even name a story that featured the MC as a _mother_ , let alone a _young_ mother. Being that young, raising two kids...

...I would think that would be one hell of a task on its own. Through in _other problems (not yet mentioned)_ and the Akatsuki...and chaos is sure to rise. I'm not quite sure what I think about this introductory chapter. My only hope is that everyone will like it. That, hopefully, it inspires interest. After all, who could be the 'strange man' Rae is seeing? Who is Brynlee seeing? I played around with this chapter for a while, not quite sure how I wanted it to start. This is the final product.

I hope everyone enjoyed it. Read it. Like it. _Review_ , if you'd be so kind.


	2. 26, September 2017

**A Song Of Storm And Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

* * *

Fear gripped Rae's heart, tendrils of ice crawling through her blood as she took a step back. Her mouth was dry, voice lodged deep inside her throat. When his mouth opened, the words that came out where not ones she understood. Behind her, Lexi and Thom clung to her legs. Brynlee was silent, shoulders tensed as they both eyed the intruders pinning them in.

A hand grabbed hers, long fingers wrapping around her frozen fingers. Rae did not turn her gaze from the man standing a few feet from her, his grey eyes narrowed. A second person appeared, at his left – long black hair, equally dark eyes, a face devoid of emotion. The two exchanged words before the second stepped forward, soundlessly crossing the floor.

 _'We can't just stand here,'_ Rae exhaled, sharply. This building was massive. _'If we could just get…'_

The stranger shot forward. Rae screamed, throwing both herself and the other three to the floor to avoid a collision. Feet slammed down on either side of her even as she screamed, _"Run!"_

The children didn't need to be told a second time.

The twins darted to the side, keeping low to the ground as another person – _was that man pretending to be a patchwork doll? –_ leaped for them. Rae kicked out at the man above her, foot meeting with a knee as Thom went off to the side, rolling, while Lexi darted between the Stitched Man's legs. They vanished through the door as Rae scrambled backward, feet biting into the floor.

Off to the side, Brynlee's fist made its first introduction to a long, blond-haired man's face. Rae was pushing off the ground when a hand fisted into her hair, yanking her backward against a hard chest. She cried out, kicking as an arm wound around her center. Her feet came off the floor, breath leaving her body as the force around her middle tightened.

Brynlee was trying to hold her own as the blond and a brunette paired off against her, one catching her by the arms as the other shoved a leg between her thighs. Her friend was swearing, a mess of struggling limbs and foul language. A few others were talking in the background, voices a low hum of noise while a bang resonated through the old, creaky house.

A few minutes later, a _blue-_ skinned man came in carrying the kids under his arms with a large, wolfish grin in place. Lexi instantly began reaching for Rae, voice shrill as she cried, "Mama! Mama! Make Fish-Face put me down! Mama!"

Rae seethed, withering in her captors hold as people slowly began to come into the room. They came from different locations, many of them looking faintly disgruntled as Lexi screamed and cried. Thom hung loosely, hands dangling freely as he stared at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Fish-Face, as Lexi had named him, made a sharp gesture towards her son as he said something to the man holding her. One of the others laughed, though the man holding her captive against his own body said nothing.

The children were thrown onto one of the couches. Fish-Face planted himself directly behind them, large hands landing on their shoulders. He made a 'no-no' gesture with his finger when they both tried to get up, his grin terrifyingly sharp. Rae swallowed as she watched Lexi sink into her brother's side, her voice cracking as she said, "Fish-Face is scary. Bad fishy. _Bad fishy!"_

Rae almost laughed. _Almost._

Her attention was drawn to the man advancing on her and Brynlee. Her sister-in-arms was bent over, gasping as she clutched her stomach. Rae dug her fingers into the cloak-laden forearm wound around her stomach, hard muscles tensing beneath the dark clothing. She kept her gaze on the man advancing on them, her eyes narrowing as he stepped into the light.

The sight was not one she was expecting. He was ginger-haired and tanned skinned, grey-ringed eyes cold and hard. His face, however, was covered in piercings. Rae braced a bare foot against her captor's leg, drawing in a steady breath as this grey-eyed man stopped directly in front of her while Brynlee pressed her forehead to the ground. The blonde-haired man stood directly behind her, azure eyes dancing with an inner flame.

Rae jerked her head back when the grey-eyed man reached for her face, teeth bared within a matter of seconds. She pushed at the arm holding her, feet slipping against the fabric covering her captor's legs. When her chin was caught between hard fingers, she found herself unable to look away from this man's eyes.

They were hypnotic in a way she could not describe. Rae stilled, holding that gaze without thought. His lips were moving, words forming, but they were not ones she could understand. His eyes narrowed when she remained silent, his other hand coming up to her face. Chin tilted back, the crown of her head pressed against the side of her captor's neck, her eyes closed as both hands trailed up to the sides of her head. His thumbs bit into the skin of her forehead, sharp waves of pain rippling through her at the contact.

"Let her go, you motherfucker!" Brynlee screamed, her voice echoing in the darkness of her mind as Rae's lips parted in a silent gasp. Waves of _energy_ slipped under her skin, her back arching as sharp blades of pain cut through her mind. Rae struggled against the assault. She could hear Lexi crying as surely as she could feel Thom's worry-filled stare, their fear suddenly tangible in the room. "You're hurting her! _Let her go!"_

Rae grasped onto whatever she could, panicking as the world fell out from under her.

She was pressed between two walls of raw, unyielding heat as waves of colored energy washed through her mind. Rae was within herself yet also _outside_ of herself, the void rippling around her in crashing currents of unbridled power. The arms around her body tightened as the world around her exploded, a thousand sounds slamming into her senses. It was almost as if she had been deaf for a long time, her hearing shifting from absent to present in a handful of seconds.

"Let us try this again," the man in front of her said, voice thick with an accent she couldn't quite place her finger on. Her temples throbbed, her gaze unsteady as she tried to hold this man's eyes with little success. The ginger-haired man's hands stayed on her face, her cheeks cupped between his palms. His thumb swept over her cheekbone, voice level as he asked, "Where are we at and who are you?"

Rae wasn't entirely sure how to answer that question. Her gaze shifted to Brynlee, who was leaning against one of the couches from her spot on the floor, then to her children. Both were cowering in their seats, tucked close together as the large, blue-skinned man rested behind them. Her gaze shifted back to this redheaded man, body relaxing as she chewed over the question posed.

"You're in New Haven," she let her arms relax on the forearms wrapped around her waist, her gaze holding this man's gaze with a sense of calmness she did not feel. Lexi and Thom, they were watching. Rae exhaled, slowly, before saying, "My name is Rae. My friend Brynlee is the one on the floor that your blond-haired accomplice struck. My children are on the couch. Who are you and where did _you_ come from?"

Because, frankly, the thought of them already being in the house was far from comforting.

Then again, if that was the case, why would he ask where he was at?

None of this made any sense.

The ginger-haired man said nothing, for a moment. "I am Pein. Itachi, you may release her."

Rae's feet hit the ground. Her knees threatened to buckle once her weight settled on them, but she kept herself upright. Off to the side, Lexi's voice carried across the room, "Mama, can Fish Face let us go now?"

"Fish Face?" The blue-skinned man said, suddenly, in what she hoped was amusement. He, too, had an accent. Off to the side, a silver-haired man snorted before saying, "Oh, _that's_ just fucking ironic. _Fish Face_. Fucking fits, doesn't it?"

Rae stared at this man in question, eyes narrowing as her shoulders squared as Lexi said, "You shouldn't say such bad words! Mama will spank you!"

"I'd like to see the bitch try!"

The silver-haired man laughed as Lexi puffed up with an angry scowl on her face. Thom hauled her back down, dark eyes judging the situation as it unfolded around them. Rae eyed this man, lips curling in distaste. Violent eyes shifted to her, a silver eyebrow arching up in what Rae knew to be a challenge. She took a step forward, something hotter and more dangerous than rage bubbling inside of her like a volcano ready to awaken.

Next to her, Pein said, "Enough."

Free from anyone's hold, Rae crossed the room to where her children rested. Her shoulder hit the silver-haired man's as she passed. Both Lexi and Thom shot up, their arms wrapping around her middle as the pale-haired, magenta eyed man snarled, "Watch where you're fucking going."

Off to the side, Brynlee hissed, "I would listen to the kids. Make mama angry and she'll _end_ you."

"I'm not frightened of a fucking _civilian_ ," Hidan spat to the side, savage grin and violent eyes dark.

After ensuring both children were safe, Rae slowly turned to face the man question. Behind him, Brynlee was lifting herself off the ground. Off to Brynlee's side was the blond-haired with long hair, his eyes narrowed as he watched. Rae didn't blame him – Brynlee could be utterly terrifying when the situation called for it.

Rae's gaze shifted to the man in control- Pein, her mind muttered -and the dark-haired beside him must be Itachi. Both were Asian, as far as their names went. Itachi's name was Asian, at the very least. Pein wasn't. Rae eyed these two men, one who had hauled her off the ground _by her hair_. Itachi. His name was Itachi.

Rae repeated that one name many times, trying to cement it into her memory. A few others were slowly making their way into the room, all of them wearing black cloaks. Most of them looked a tad disgruntled, gazes wary as they eyed the two women and children in the room. Rae's gaze shifted to Brynlee, a sense of uncertainty rising in her gut as they found themselves in the midst of a group of ten. At the front, holding everyone's attention, was Pein.

Many of them were speaking in that odd tongue of theirs, quietly discussing whatever they were talking about. Rae sat on the couch, Lexi pressed against one side and Thom burrowed against the other. Brynlee sat at their feet, her cheek resting against Rae's knees as she muttered, "What the _fuck_ is going on here? Who _are_ these people?"

Rae asked the same question.

Rae's gaze shifted to the blue-skinned man behind the couch she and her children rested on, a sense of unease clenching in her gut as he said, "At least you're asking the right questions. Leader-sama, perhaps a few introductions are in order?"

"It would seem you are correct, Kisame-san," Pein folded his hands behind his back in the same way Rae saw military leaders do in a few of her favorite movies. The others came closer, some sitting on the furniture as the others made loops around the room. Once everyone had settled, and only Pein and a blue-haired woman stood at the head of the impromptu circle, Pein said, "I am Pein, leader of the Akatsuki. My partner is Konan."

Rae looked between these two, her attention shifting from the man to the woman and back again. She looked towards Itachi, who stood off to the side in the shadows, as Pein said, "That is Itachi, his partner is Kisame. Hidan and Kakuzu are _those_ two."

Rae looked over Hidan for a moment, already knowing which one he was. Kakuzu seemed to be the Patchwork Doll, his face hidden partly by a mask. His eyes, a glowing, eerie green, were cold and disinterested. Pein continued, gesturing to three others as he said, "These three are Deidara, Sasori and Tobi."

Deidara was the blonde, Sasori the bored looking man with rich, auburn hair. Tobi was harder to spot, a still shadow wearing a dark, orange mask. His cloak was open, revealing a close-fitting, black shirt and black, athletic pants tucked into ninja-like boots. Dark, unruly black hair feel around his face in waves, framing the mask and obscuring part of it from view. Pein gestured to the last of the ten, who stepped out of the darkness with a fluid, gliding walk.

Rae's eyes nearly came out of her head as the half-black, half-white man _inside a flytrap_ observed the room as Pein said, "This is Zetsu. Now that you know _our_ name, perhaps you should, too, introduce yourselves."

Brynlee didn't move, Thom was mute and Lexi was shaking like a leaf. Rae felt the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Rae untangled herself from the pile on the couch, voice even as she said, "As I said, my name is Rae. Brynlee is my friend. Lexi and Thom are my children. Now, why the _hell_ are you all inside my house?"

Behind her, Kisame barked out a laugh. Off to the side, Hidan said, "You call _this_ fucking place a home? It's falling apart! Stupid bitch."

Rae whirled around on him, voice sharp and cutting as she spat, "I understand you have the intelligence of a child, Hidan, but I will _not tolerate_ such language in front of my children!"

The silver-haired, foul-mouthed man was suddenly in front of her. Rae felt her heart leap, her skin suddenly cold as a blade pressed against the underside of her chin as he said, "Careful, _Rae-chan._ Piss me off and my hand might slip. I'd hate for the ittle, fucking kiddies to see their mommy dead on the ground."

From the couch, Lexi leaped to her feet. "Now listen here, mister! That's my mama you're talking to. You can have a bad mouth, but don't you say you'll hurt her!"

Rae stared at her daughter. So did everyone else. Behind the kids, Kisame laughed again before hefting the little girl off the couch. "I like this one already. Lexi-chan, right?"

"Yep, I'm Lexi!" Her daughter perked up, a massive grin spreading across her face as she gestured to Thom. Thom seemed to slump in defeat, eyes closing as Lexi continued, "That's my _twin_ brother. He's mute. Did you paint your skin? Are those _real_ gills?"

Kisame blinked. Rae did rub her brow, this time. "Lexi, honey?"

"Yes, mama?"

"What have I said about commenting on a person's appearance?"

Lexi's eyes went very wide _very_ fast. Her attention snapped back to the man who was holding her, a bashful blush staining her cheeks. Rae watched as her daughter shifted in Kisame's arms, easily tucked in the crook with her thighs resting against his waist. She watched as her daughter considered this blue-skinned man's face, her voice small when she finally said, "I'm sorry, Mister Kisame. I didn't mean no offense. I swear it."

The big, blue man laughed. "None taken."

Rae's gaze shifted back to Pein as she said, "So what, exactly, is going to happen?"

He was silent, for a time. Rae picked up Thom, holding him close as he pressed his face against her neck. He was shuddering in her arms, thin fingers biting into her flesh as she rocked him back-and-forth. She ran a hand soothingly down his back. She kept her gaze on the leader of this odd group, not quite sure she was able to believe anything she was seeing.

"My organization's in a peculiar situation, Rae-san," Pein finally said as he made his way to stand in front of her. Thom tensed in her grasp, suddenly as still as a slab of unmoving stone. Rae watched this orange-haired man's gaze dart to her son, expression unreadable as he said, "We do not know where we are. It was due to one of the oldest jutsu I know that I could learn, and pass on your language. For now, we will be residing here."

 _'Looks like I don't get a say in that,'_ Rae shifted Thom in her grasp, suddenly feeling more than a little tired. An ache was starting to settle over her body, muscles sore and her head was starting to feel like it was about to crack open. When her palms and feet started to tingle, Rae knew, in that moment, that she needed to sit down. _'Fuck, no. Not right now. Why now? Fuck!'_

She staggered when she tried to take a step. When a firm hand caught her elbow, pain shot through her limb. Mouth dry, she forced her vocals to work. "Sit down. I need to sit down."

"Rae?" Brynlee's hand was on her back, then. She felt someone take Thom from her, could see the blurry outline of her son reaching for her. When she sat down, a bottle of water was thrust into her hands as Brynlee pushed her hair from her face. "God, Rae. You're burning up."

Rae laughed. "Stressful situations and I don't get on. You know that, Bryn."

Her friend's eyes narrowed. "Lay down."

Rae listened, eyes fluttering as she felt Lexi and Thom crawl up next to her. Small hands ran through her hair. A small head resting on her stomach. In the background, she heard Brynlee moving around and then a blanket settled over her. That was followed by, "She just needs some rest. It's been a stressful week for her. I think I might have a few extra blankets. It's storming outside, anyway. So maybe we _all_ should get some sleep?"

Rae was slipping into the darkness.

Lexi hummed a gentle song, petting her hair affectionally. Someone knelt next to her, a strange person with blue hair. A slender hand passed over her brow. Green light shined and washed over her then, a sense of relief flooding her system as her headache started to fade away.

"She's dehydrated," the woman _(Konan,_ Rae told herself groggily) stated calmly. A pillow was pushed under her head, a black cloak laid out over her body. As Rae began to sink into the blissful peace of sleep, she heard Konan say, "Her energy's drained, too. Resting would do her, and all of us, some good."

If anything was said after that, Rae didn't hear.

All she knew, at that moment, was darkness and silence and a dream of a falling star.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Well, I've finally got another chapter of _this_ down. I wasn't expecting it to be so _massive_.

The Akatsuki has been introduced! I know, they're here _early_. In a lot of stories, they're either cats (I plan on writing one like that, myself) or they show up after five or six chapters. I thought I'd just throw them in at the start and then push everything forward after. I'm hoping it works out well, that none of this feels too rushed. I do hope to make them all so very interesting, as the Akatsuki happen to be my favorite characters in Naruto (and it's been so _long_ since I watched the show). As is, Rae and Brynlee and the children have had their first interaction.

Though _what_ is _wrong_ with Rae? The fact she seems to have sort of taken a wrong turn, health-wise, is scary.

As is, I hope everyone enjoys this story. I'm looking forward to hearing all of your thoughts!


	3. 24, November 2017

**A Song Of Storm And Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

When Rae roused herself from her sleep, her hands were shaking.

She laid on her side, hands tucked against her stomach. They were quivering, small spasms that told of an issue she did not need. Forcing the thought from her mind, pushing away the fever and the aches sprouting through her body like deadly weeds, she forced herself to sit up. Her head was pounding, a war banging within the confines of her skull, so intense she did not notice the too-large, black cloak draped over her body.

Pressing the heel of her palms into her eyes, Rae hung her head with a barely audible groan. She sat there for some time, forcing herself to count her breaths as she relaxed each muscle one after another. Mindful of the headache beating at her skull, Rae swung her legs over the edge of the couch and planted her feet on the cold, worn floor.

The jolt of pain that shot through her legs in response stole her breath. Her fingers bit into the worn fabric of the couch she rested on, her mind turning at impossible rates to try and figure out _why_ she was lying there. When her gaze swept over the room, a cold chill cut through her.

Lexi and Thom were gone. Bryn was nowhere to be seen.

Rae was on her feet in moments. The world tilted and spun, the edges of her vision exploding like dozens of small, black suns. Then the pain hit, sharp and sudden and wholly unwelcome. Rae gasped as her heart thundered in her chest, body clamping tight as her lungs burned and her mouth became dry and cracked. Black hunger curled in her gut, vicious and angry.

Rae knew, then, what was happening. The shakiness, pain, and the dizziness, the way her hands were shaking and the growing hunger eating her from within – they were signs of something she did not want to go through, not when her children or Bryn could stumble across her. Rae grabbed the back of the sofa, mouth dry as the bottoms of her feet tingled.

She told herself the last was due to the cold floor against her bare skin, that it was a reaction to the sudden jolt of pain. Rae used the furniture to drag her way across the massive, crumbling living space. The edges of her vision, black and spinning, was beginning to grow. The world became a tunnel as her stomach churned and rumbled, feverous and hungry.

When she stumbled her way to the kitchen, she wasn't all that surprised to see a group of people sitting there. Bryn was leaning against a wall, arms folded across her chest. The kids were against her legs, neither of them looking happy. Everyone's attention shifted to her as she sagged against the kitchen's open archway.

Bryn was the first to react, voice rising as she lunged at her. "Good god, Rae! Come and sit. No, don't hold _onto_ the door. _Let the doorframe go,_ Rae!"

"No," Rae shook her head to emphasize the word. She didn't _want_ to let go. She'd fall, if she did.

Bryn didn't care. "You can eat _after_ you sit at the table. _Now let go of the door!"_

In a few minutes, Rae found herself sitting at the table with a sandwich in front of her. She tore into it with enthusiasm, ripping into the bread with too-sharp teeth. The kids stayed near the wall, their gazes jumping between her and Bryn to the people in the room. Rae finished the first snack and started on the second as Bryn said, "Do you, eh, _remember_ anything, Rae?"

Slowing down, Rae turned her gaze from her food to the ten strangers. "I was hoping they were a dream. A really bad dream, but a dream nonetheless."

She bit into her sandwich, peanut butter sweet and thick in her mouth. When she finally looked up, she noticed a certain orange-haired man sitting across from her. She took a drink of the water at her side, feeling a tad unnerved as he stared at her without blinking. Hunger pushed back, she was able to comprehend the fact she was surrounded by a bunch of people who had, somehow, found their way into the home she was fixing.

"What do you recall, Rae-san," this man said, voice calm.

Rae blinked in response, voice low as she answered, "You mind-fucked me to learn my language."

A couple snickers answered her blunt response, though the man in front of her said nothing. As she sipped at her drink, Rae let her mind shift back to what had happened. After a moment, she finally said, "You're Pein. I don't know how you got into this house. You're the leader of your group."

She also recalled all their names no matter how foggy her thoughts were. She spotted the man who had grabbed her by the hair - _Itachi, Rae. His name is Itachi-_ and his blue-skinned partner. She spotted the foul-mouthed ingrate, a surge of hate rising in her at the sight of him. Hidan grinned when he spied her looking at him. Her gaze shifted to the rest of the group, though it paused on the man wearing a half-mask and close-fitting, black clothing.

 _'Tobi, Pein said his name was,'_ Rae looked away from that man, away from the pacing figure that was circling the room. Tobi seemed to be someone with too much energy, unable to hold still as he paused and bounced his weight from one leg to the other without removing his feet from the ground. _'He makes me uneasy. Why? Is it because I can't see his eyes?'_

After a moment, she named them off so Pein would see she _did_ remember. When she finished her food and went to stand, she found herself being forced deeper into her seat by an unseen force. Rae's breath came out in a sharp burst, shock leaving her wide-eyed.

"Now that you have eaten and are in a clearer state of mind, it's time we talk, Rae-san," Pein folded his hands across the table, his attention focused on her. Rae stared at him for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. When she tried to rise, she found herself unable to rise. Lips parted in surprise, Pein continued, "All of this will be easier if you do not try and leave your seat. Now, tell me your full name."

Rae struggled against the force holding her in place. As she started to lift out of her seat by the sheer force of her will, she saw Pein's eyes narrow before she was slammed back down. As she hit the seat, Pein said, "Restrain her, Kakuzu."

She screamed when black, wet _wires_ whipped around her body. They bound her wrists, dragging them to the table and holding them in place as others wrapped around her middle and tied her to the chair. She heard Bryn's outraged cry and then a pain shout, but Rae was unable to look away from the man staring her down. Lexi yelped, though she sounded more scared than hurt.

"Alright!" Rae cried out, voice cracking as the stress mounted. "Talk, we'll talk. Just let me go."

Pein merely said, "We have found ourselves in an unlikely situation. As this is something neither of us was expecting, ground rules are needed."

"You think?" Rae tugged at her wrists, voice sharp as she said, "Yeah, rules _are_ needed. The first should be _'don't tie up the hosts with magical, fucking wires!'_ Now let me g –"

Her head whipped to the side, her jaw burning. Rae stared at the floor, eyes wide. What had just happened? Drawing in a tight breath, Rae said, in a calmer tone, "Rules are needed. Not just for my side of this messed up equation, but for yours as well."

Rae eyed the man across from her, watched as gray-ringed eyes narrowed and thin lips pressed into a tight line. She ignored the others, save for the blue-haired woman Rae knew was this man's partner. The others ceased to exist as she continued, "I don't know enough about you or your _people_ to make any outrageous demands. I only know what I've put together in a span of a few hours and a bad night. Rules are needed."

"You think you are in charge," Pein laced his fingers together, hands resting on the table as he eyed her. Rae felt a cold chill curl down her spin as something unseen curled around her throat, a steady pressure building as he continued, "This situation, Rae-san, is one you are not grasping. We are not at your mercy. The only _rules_ here are ones I set. The faster you learn that, the better our time together will be."

Her headache was back, twice as powerful. As her jaw clenched, Pein continued, "We have no qualms killing you or your friend. We have no issue _harming_ a child, Rae-san. If you resist, there will be a punishment. If you try and run away, we'll break your legs. Try and call for help, _we'll slit your throats._ Have I made myself clear?"

The pressure around her throat vanished and Rae drew in a much-needed breath. She didn't need to answer that question. He knew, as well as she did, that she understood him all too well.

Rae closed her eyes as her chest rose and fell in rapid jerks, her body trembling. After a moment, she stared at this cold-eyed man in keen awareness of who, and _what_ , he was. Her gaze shot to the side, to where Thom and Lexi stood with their hands bound behind their backs with black, living wire. Bryn was face-first against the ground, Kisame's foot pressed against the back of her neck. He grinned when their eyes met.

She looked back to the leader of this group and the blue-haired woman he sat next to. Rae slowed the rapid rate of her pounding heart, willed the shaking to stop. Palms flat against the table, black wires cold and wet against her skin, Rae met Pein's gaze.

His eyebrows furrowed marginally as she said, "I'm aware of who is in control. As a mother, the only thing I want is to ensure my _children_ are safe. The rules I have in mind are for their sake, not mine. As a leader of an organization, surely you know compromise is the best way to ensure my cooperation. Bryn's too."

 _'Maybe he'll bite the bait,'_ Rae watched as he sat there, saying nothing for a time. When he turned to Konan, speaking in that odd language of theirs, she knew they were discussing what she had just said. A few of the others threw in a comment or two, though she couldn't tell what any of them were thinking. _'If I'm ensuring Thom and Lexi are safe, that my own rules revolve around them, then he may be more open to amusing my requests. I'll play it safe. I can get the upper hand if I find their angle.'_

"What do you have in mind, Rae-san?" Pein's attention was on her, his expression smooth and revealing nothing. Rae twisted her wrists, sitting up a bit taller. The wires shifted around her hands, gliding across her skin, as she answered, "If there's one thing I know about you and yours, Pein, it's that you're all highly trained soldiers. The way you move, how you behave, says as much. In that way, I'd expect your lot would want to exercise, to keep honing your skills and…abilities, if only to starve away boredom…"

"You are correct," Pein stated when she lapsed into silence.

Rae took that as her cue to continue, "I won't get in the way of that, but I do ask all of you to avoid unnecessary violence around the children. I'm not sure how things worked where you came from, but children _aren't generally_ exposed to such things. No blood, no gore, no murder. Lexi's a bit sensitive to violence. General sparing, such as hand-to-hand combat, is fine. Within reason."

"An understandable request," It wasn't Pein that spoke but Konan, the woman's amber eyes a tad softer than before. She sat upright, hands folded neatly in her lap. "Pein thought this was one of the things you would ask, Rae-san. This request can be granted."

Rae nodded, relieved. Then she looked over at Hidan. "And I want _that man_ to stay the hell away from the kids. His foul mouth is not something _neither_ of them should be near."

"Fucking _denied,_ bitch!" Hidan stepped away from the wall, lilac eyes bright and focused on her. Her jaw clenched as he crossed the room to stand behind her, suddenly out of her line of sight. When his hands fell on her shoulders, his voice was low as he said, "I'll go wherever the fuck I want, girly. And if the fucking kiddos don't like how I talk, then shit onto them. They'll have to get used to the way I talk. I'll damn well do as I please!"

"Hidan," Pein's voice was calm but the foul-mouthed man's grip on her shoulder's tightened. Rae didn't dare say anything, not when the air around her seemed to plummet several degrees. She saw Pein's eyes narrow and then a malicious glint flickered in those gray eyes seconds before the leader of this group said, "While I have no intention of telling where you can go, Hidan, I will give you an order."

The grip on her shoulders was painful. Pein continued, "Rae-san's looking out for the two children that are in this room. We have already agreed on unnecessary violence. In that way, you will _not_ conduct any of your rituals _anywhere_ the children are able to find you. Nor are you allowed to do so without my permission _prior_ to the aforementioned ritual. Now sit down."

When Hidan was away from her, Rae asked, "Ritual?"

"It's best not to ask, yeah," The long-haired blonde stated calmly, his brow wrinkling in what Rae knew to be disgust. The single, visible blue eye regarded her calmly as he added, "Hidan and his rituals are something _none_ of us want to talk about. Takes to long to discuss."

"Okay," Rae turned back to Pein, deciding she would take the blonde's advice and _not_ talk about the ritual. If he says it's 'best not to ask,' then she wouldn't ask. When Pein inclined his head, Rae continued, "Given we're _all_ going to be living in this house, I hope a few of you will be willing to help me and Bryn fix the condition it's in. The faster it gets done, the faster we'll get paid. Each of you will get your own room, so those who _do_ help fix this place up can design their own room."

The blonde, Deidara, perked up at that. So did the auburn-haired man next to him. She wondered if they were artsy types, then. Kisame, too, looked a tad interested. When the blue-skinned man sat up, she knew she'd caught his interest when he said, "What exactly are you doing here?"

"Bryn and I are being paid to renovate this house," Rae tugged at her bindings. She leveled a glare on the black tendrils, unhappy about them still being wrapped around her wrists. She turned her attention back to Kisame as she said, "It's what we do. We go from town to town, fixing one house after another. We get paid. Then we find a new house to fix."

"And this works?"

"Yeah," Rae leaned back in her seat. "I've been doing this for…about four or five years, now."

Kisame's gaze dropped to the woman pinned underneath his foot. "And her?"

"Eight years," Bryn grunted, cheek pressed against the floor. She was pulling at the binds holding her wrists behind her back, visibly uncomfortable with how she was tied. Rae didn't blame her. The older girl continued, "I introduced Rae into this business. She's good at it, too. Can I get up?"

"Will you behave?"

"I'll try," Rae wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose at that comment. She turned back to Pein as Kisame let Bryn sit up, her voice calm as she continued, "This place is massive. Helping with the renovations will help with the boredom. It's a win-win. If we're all going to be able to eat and get what we need to _survive_ , then everyone has to pitch in however possible."

Rae knew she was likely pushing the edge of the limits, but Pein considered everything she said with thought. Rae didn't have much else she wanted to say, knowing these rules were likely the best, if not the _only_ ones, that could be pushed into place. Then, before he said anything, she also added, "And privacy. I _must_ have some moderation of 'Me-Time.' Bryn and the kids, too."

"No," Pein snapped, gray eyes narrowed. "I will not allow any of you to be unsupervised."

 _"What the hell do you think we can do!"_

Rae's breath caught when an unseen force slammed into her, the power behind it knocking her out of her seat and across the room into the wall. Arms pressed against the wall over her head, feet pressing into the wall, she struggled to breathe. A few of the men laughed, then. Lexi's voice broke, her soft cries turning into full-force wails. When her daughter's head snapped to the side, an angry red-mark blazing on her cheek, Rae's jaw grit.

Rae's attention shifted to Pein as he stood and began to make his way to her. "Do not take me for a fool, Rae-san. Leaving any of you with time to yourself is unwise. I know not how this world works. I will not take any chances, not even with civilians like yourself."

When he reached for her face, Rae didn't think. She bit him.

Iron coated her tongue in seconds, her body suddenly alive and wired. She pushed her knees between them even as he came upon her, one fist slamming into the wall next to her face. He pressed his hand deeper into her mouth, gripping her jaw between his thumb and pointer with enough force to bruise. His eyes were livid, dark and murderous.

His grip tightened on her face as he said, "Each member of my group has their own method of punishment, Rae-san. Many of them employ torture as a means of enforcing obedience. I trust you will tread lightly. If not for _your_ sake, then for that of your children."

He dropped her, then.

Rae hit the floor, wrists released and chest heaving. She watched as Pein left the room, Konan at his side. Hidan was already gone, as was his partner. Most of them were already absent, save for Deidara and the masked man. Both were staring at them. Rae looked away, uncomfortable with the attention she and her little group was getting.

When a small hand caught hers, Rae looked down to see Thom staring up at her. Lexi wrapped her arms around Rae's legs, pressing a tear-stained face against trembling knees. Deidara and Tobi were _still_ there and then Rae realized why.

Those two were their babysitters, for the time being.

Rae wanted to punch the smug look on the blonde's face. She wanted to ease away from the masked one, the unease growing even as a slow smile spread across the lower face. When Tobi spoke, his voice was deeper and richer than she thought it would considering 'Tobi' wasn't a name that made her think 'dark' and 'masculine.'

"Rae-chan," Tobi bounded forward, fluid and graceful. Rae was tempted to bend away from the man invading her personal space. Doing so would toss the kids to the ground, though. When a black-gloved hand brushed a strand of hair from her face, Tobi's voice was gentle, "There's no need to be uneasy, Rae-chan. If you listen to Leader-sama, you and your friends will be fine."

For a reason she couldn't quite understand, the gentle words terrified her.

Tobi darted away, then. He was already out the kitchen door, heading who-knows-where, and Rae blinked. Deidara was following the energetic man, but paused and looked over his shoulder as he said, "Coming, hm?"

Rae knew they didn't have a choice.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

I'm back! About damn time, too. I've had this chapter in my head for some time but it took _forever_ to write it down. This is a bit of a filler, yes, but there are a few things in here that will become far more important in the story later on. The seeds of the story's plot have been planted. The Akatsuki are a dangerous group of nin, too. It's been a very long time since I've written them (and this is a first on _this_ account of mine), so I hope I'm not botching them too badly. I do want to drive the fact that they're dangerous, murderous criminals into the field, though. Make that more notable, more believable.

I hope this chapter helps set that up. Pein had most of the stage, aside from Hidan. He's the leader, so he took the bat and beat the ball. As for where this is going, all I can say is that 'it's going to be a long ride.' Because of that, I'd like to know what everyone thinks. Tell me things you like about the Akatsuki, things about them that scare you. Bits and pieces of information to help me push the story along. Also, tell me what you think about Rae, Bryn and the kids.

However many 'Single Mom and Kids Face Off With Akatsuki' stories are there?

Hope you liked and I hope to see you soon!


	4. 02, December 2017

**A Song Of Storm And Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

* * *

The Akatsuki were a group of criminals renowned throughout the Great Shinobi Nations. They were feared yet respected, a force of power envied and detested. There were nine members, all who were current, yet not even one could explain how nine became _ten_. They speculated, they discussed it, but an answer was not forthcoming. They all came to the same conclusion.

Not a one could explain how Sasori had come back to life. In the same manner, they could not explain how they ended up in the broken ruin of a home belonging to two women and the children they cared for. It was a situation none of them had thought they would encounter. They were _murderers_. Being in one place, for extended periods of time, was not for them.

Yet that was where they were, now. Itachi Uchiha was beyond trying to figure it out, knowing, at that moment, that their first, and foremost, priority was to adjust and acclimate to the reality of the world they were in no matter how unsavory it was. Nothing in this place made sense, nothing was like the world they had come from. It was strange and terrifying.

It was exhilarating.

Itachi knew the process would be a grueling process.

One of the few remaining Uchihas in existence made his way through the old, groaning building and noted the many floors and rooms available. The wood groaned beneath his weight, weak and crumbling in many places. He avoided those, making a mental note to inform the others as he mapped out the grounds through sound and his chakra. The others would be doing much the same, each in a different part of the building or outside exploring the grounds around them.

Unlike the others, Itachi could not rely on his vision to help him find his footing in this place. He stepped with care, his chakra spreading through the air. It acted as a map, his senses wrapped in the threads of his power as it washed over the cracks in the floor and the half-open doorways.

He could sense the windows, could feel the broken glass on the ground, as he made his way down the hallway on the third floor of the building. One of these rooms, he knew, would be his in due time. As he turned another corridor, he felt Kisame approaching. Itachi paused, quietly waiting as the large male advanced on him.

"There you are, Itachi," Kisame fell into step beside him and the two began to walk. The shark-like ninja was quiet for a bit before he finally said, "I was looking for you. How are your eyes?"

Itachi frowned. "It is harder to draw upon my chakra, here."

"Less strain on them, then," Kisame noted to himself. Itachi didn't bother to respond to that soft comment, content to observe his surroundings through the lethargic waves of his power. After a moment, Kisame said, "This is going to be odd. Staying, and _sleeping_ , in a house with _Hidan._ This is the beginning to a terribly written, cliched horror story."

Itachi didn't bother to respond to that comment, either. He did, however, change the direction of the conversation when he said, "Describe them to me, Kisame."

"Eh?"

"My chakra can only tell me so much," Itachi let Kisame turn them down another hallway. The world around them shifted and turned, dark gray surroundings littered with darker shadows that hinted at furniture or a blockade of one sort or another. "I have a general idea of their height, but I have little on them after that. They don't have chakra, not like we do. I cannot track their whereabouts or tell their mood. Describe them to me so I have a better understanding."

Kisame hummed in thought. Itachi let the silence settle over them as the ex-Mist ninja chewed over his request. He knew Kisame would humor him. The older nin always did. After a few minutes, Kisame finally said, "There's four of 'em, Itachi. Three girls, one boy. The women, they're not all that old. Frankly, I think Rae-san might be a bit _too_ young to be a mother when looking at the situation from an unbiased point-of-view…"

"How so?" Itachi looped his arms through the clasp of his cloak, letting them rest, supported, by the fabric as Kisame huffed. After a moment, his partner said, "Bryn-san would be a better choice. She's older. Sturdier. She punched Deidara-san in the face. Rae-san, though? She's a small lady, thinner. Sickly. Protective as she may be, she's not all that bright."

Itachi frowned. She had challenged Pein. Openly. "You may have a point there, but one could say her instincts, as a mother, were what drove her blindly into danger."

"True," Kisame sighed. "The kids, though? Lexi and Thom, they're twins. Lexi seems to be a nice kid. Smiles too much. Also called me 'Fish Face,' might I add?"

"And Thom?"

"He's," Itachi glanced over at Kisame, then. It wasn't like the man to stop midsentence. When Kisame noticed his blind stare, the larger ninja said, "He's _different,_ somehow. Other than being mute, that is. It's his eyes. They're cold. And there's the _scars_ …"

Itachi blinked. "The boy has scars?"

Kisame led them to another flight of stairs, these, too, leading up. Itachi sent his chakra out in another intense swoop, slowing as it crawled forth at a rate he wasn't accustomed to. In a few moments, he picked up on the layout as Kisame continued, "I noticed them when I caught him. They're on his arms and hands, and there's a nasty one on his right clavicle. He has a slight limp on the left side, too. An old leg injury, maybe. Kids break their legs a lot, don't they?"

"It isn't uncommon, no," Itachi stated calmly, his own thoughts shifting to his own brother and the kids they both had grown up with. Getting a broken bone or two during their youth was common enough. It was part of learning how to be a ninja. Every action had a risk. "I'm not sure about this place, however. In our own world, children in the academy often got small breaks from training. Rae-san did mention, however, that violence isn't something children are generally exposed to in this realm. Not without proper cause."

Kisame grunted. "My head's starting to hurt."

It wasn't long until they stumbled upon Konan. The blue-haired kunoichi was wandering out of a room, Akatsuki cloak absent from her person. The two shinobi slowed as they closed in on her, and Konan turned, her grey irises light as the amber ring around her pupil seemed to glow in the shadows. Itachi stopped directly in front of her, inclining his head in greeting.

"Itachi-san," Itachi didn't move as her hand lightly brushed his forehead, her chakra radiating out of her in waves. It, too, moved slower than normal. The discomfort building behind his eyes, and in his throat, eased as she said, "You should take more care of yourself, Itachi-san. Do not use your chakra unless you must. Kisame-san will help you navigate until you adjust."

Itachi blinked. "You know, then."

He had a distinct understanding she was amused, then. Despite how blurry her form was, her voice was as calm as ever as she said, "I do, yes. I've been keeping an eye on you. Let your system rest, for now, Itachi-san. When you're ready, head downstairs. I believe Rae-san has an idea on how things will progress within this home."

She left, then. Itachi drew his chakra in as she had ordered, eyes closed as his senses dulled and the world was consumed by darkness. He felt Kisame's hand fall on his shoulder, a heavy and comforting weight. Itachi turned, voice low as he said, "Let us head back to the others, Kisame."

He didn't have to tell the older man to lead. Kisame did it without thought.

000

Rae eyed the map in her hands before turning her gaze to the massive room in front of her.

Bryn was already in there, the older woman standing tall as she jotted notes down in an old, battered notebook that had seen better days. Deidara was leaning against the wall, visible eye closed. Rae knew he was paying attention, though. Whenever they moved, his head would quirk to the side a bit. He was listening to them.

Tobi was standing next to her, looking over her shoulder at the map she held. Heat washed over her back, a human furnace that shadowed her soundlessly. He would make the occasional comment, pointing out the broken support on the ceiling or noting how the floor was 'turning into a well.' Despite the mask hiding his upper face from view, the man had a good eye.

"God, this place _is_ a mess," Bryn finally cried. The older girl turned to look at her, one hand on her hip as she gestured to the floor, _"All_ the flooring is going to have to be torn out, Rae. The wall over there, too! And _don't_ get me started on the ceiling…"

Rae blinked. "I did say this was a shithole, didn't I?"

"You're just pissed that we're going to spend a fortune fixing this place."

Rae didn't deny that comment. She made her way over to Bryn and held out her hand for the notebook. When it was dropped into her hand, Rae flipped through the countless pages of _basic_ information. The place was a mess. Rae knew that from the moment they stepped into the house, knew it from the moment she realized they couldn't get through the _gate_ leading to the front doors of the building.

Thinking of that gate, Rae wrote down a few notes of her own. "We need to go and get the car, Bryn. I don't want to leave it out there for some junkie to highjack. We'll need to fix the gate and check the condition of the fence, too. There are also the wells that need inspection…"

Rae was already turning, notebook stuffed into her back pocket. She heard Deidara start after her and Bryn before he asked, "Where are you going?"

"Outside," Rae replied calmly.

Behind her, the blonde said, "You need to get Pein-sama's permission for that."

"Really?" Rae turned to look at the two men shadowing her. As Deidara's mouth opened, Rae interjected with a cool sense of calm as she said, "You do realize that, in order to get everything we need, I have to have my car? Which means I have to take a long-ass walk down a battered, fucking driveway that's covered in mud to a broken gate that's _blocking_ me from said car?"

"What's a car?" Tobi pipped up. Rae's gaze shifted to him as the masked man walked a circle around them. Every few steps, Tobi's body would swing in a circle so that he was _always_ facing them. Then he said, "Why would this car thing of yours be so far off, anyway?"

"Because the gate's broke," Rae repeated, slowly. She stepped around him. "We had to climb through and make our way to the house in the dark last night. My stuff's in that car, anyway. So I'm going to get it. Feel free to stalk me there."

"We're not _stalking_ you, hmm," Deidara fell into step beside her, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Behind them, Bryn said, "No, you're _babysitting_ us."

Rae ignored them both, bypassing the redheaded Sasori and Patches as she made her way to the door. Deidara stayed at her side, their arms brushing every few steps. After a moment, the man said, "Rae-san, you really _should_ get Pein-sama's permission to leave the house."

She ignored that comment, too. Within moments, she was making her way out onto the porch and down onto the driveway. Tobi and Bryn followed from behind. Rae felt someone watching her, a harsh stare that burned the back of her head. She wasn't surprised to see the one named Zetsu already out and about, the man's half-white-half-black body turning to face them.

Except he _wasn't_ half-black-half-white. He was _entirely_ white.

Rae stared at him for a moment, stunned. "What happened to you?"

"Kuro-san thought it wise to check the forest surrounding the house, Rae-san," the white Zetsu said calmly, a small smile on his face. Rae blinked. When her gaze shifted to Deidara, she noted how his visible eye was wide. When she looked back to this Zetsu, he continued, "I am Shiro. It is only when Kuro and I are sharing a body do we call ourselves Zetsu. Forgive us for the shock."

Bryn then said, "So…there's _eleven_ of you, not ten?"

Shiro inclined his head in what Rae knew to be a 'yes.' Running a hand through her hair, Rae then said, "Alright, so there's two of you who share a body. And this Kuro of yours, he's off…scouting?"

"Yes, Rae-san," Shiro then turned and gestured to the area around him. "While he is absent, I thought I'd check the condition of the ground. The soil lacks nutrients, but that can be rectified. If you would like, I can start restoring the health of the surrounding earth."

Rae exhaled. "If you could, I would be much obliged. What supplies will you need?"

"None, Rae-san," Shiro knelt as he said it, his hand hovering inches over the wet ground. His hand started to glow a brilliant emerald and Rae watched, eyes wide, as it sank into the ground. As this green energy seeped into the soil, Shiro said, "I need only my chakra to heal these grounds. If you intend to go to the gate down the road, it would best to wait until the others are able to help. It will be easier to have their aide in taking down those iron gates and the surrounding fence."

Slowly, the dull brown grass surrounding Shiro began to rise and stand. Hints of green began to seep into the fragile blades, the hue of life emerging as the white-skinned man began to wander away with a halo of green energy wrapping around his body. After a moment, Deidara cleared his throat and then said, "Well, I wasn't expecting _that_ to happen."

"You didn't know Zetsu was also," Rae paused, then. A hand curled around the back of her neck, that uncomfortable heat sinking into her skin through her clothing as Tobi said, "Zetsu-chan is an interesting person, Rae-chan. A few of us were aware."

"And you didn't think to mention that during the introductions last night?" Rae turned, heart leaping as long, gloved fingers ghosted over the front of her throat. Tobi's lips curled into a smile as Deidara sighed behind them. Bryn was standing by Deidara, at this point, but Rae's attention turned to the masked man as Tobi said, "Zetsu-chan doesn't often split himself. If Kuro-san thought it wise to part with Shiro-chan, then the situation has _him_ worried, too!"

Rae was tempted to shove this man out of her personal space, but something stilled her. There was an internal warning, a whispered voice echoing in the back of her head. Exhaling, Rae lifted her hand and wrapped numb fingers around Tobi's wrist as she said, "Then I suggest we get to the car and get what I need out of it. If I'm to get us food, I'll need to get my purse. Shall we?"

Tobi stepped away, hand falling to his side. "We shall. Coming, Deidara-sempai?"

Tobi brushed past them, twirling to face them as he walked backward with his arms crossed behind his head. "If we don't hurry, we'll get caught by Kuro-san! Trust me, _nobody_ wants that."

Rae didn't need to hear that warning a second time. She led them up the path to the gate, to the slanted doors of iron and the small gap that acted as an entrance. Behind her, she heard Deidara say, "It'd be easier to jump it."

She looked from Deidara to the gate and back again. When he caught her look, he raised an eyebrow in question. Rae pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not gifted with magic or superhuman strength. I can't _jump_ the damn thing. You can wait on the other side, if you'd like, or you can wait here. Now if you'll excuse me."

She was tempted to jump into that car and drive very, _very_ far away. Then she wondered what kind of mother thought about _that_ without ensuring both the kids and sister-in-arms, was also onboard. Then she wondered if she could _outdrive_ a group of magically-enhanced men and the one, solo woman in a group of assassins. Given what little she'd experienced already, Rae doubted it was a possibility.

Not yet, anyway. _'If I can get them to trust me, then maybe, just maybe…'_

She eased her way through the gap in the fence and jogged her way to the driver's side of the car. Rae nearly jumped out of her skin when Tobi landed on the roof, hands folded calmly behind his back as he turned to keep an eye on her. Bryn joined her a second later, already popping the trunk to gather the bags they had left behind as Rae sat in the driver's seat. She grabbed her purse, knowing it was best to keep anything of value nearby than out in the elements.

She reached into the backseat and grabbed the stuffed animals laying there. She eased them into the purse with a soft smile before pulling herself out of her car. She grabbed what she could out of the backseat, including her laptop and cords and the CD collection that went with it. When she looked up, Deidara was peering through one of the windows with open curiosity.

"It's a car," Rae deadpanned, causing him to blink and look over at her. "It's how people get around in this world. We drive vehicles, this one being a _car._ I take it you don't have them where you come from?"

"Nope," Deidara pulled away from it as Bryn slammed the trunk shut, two backpacks stacked on her back and a box in her hands. A heavy box. Rae grimaced. Then she met her friend's gaze as she asked, "Do we _really_ need to bring that… _thing_ back with us?"

Bryn snorted. "It'll keep the kids distracted."

"And I'll end up killing someone before the week's over," Rae eyed the box in question, a sense of disgust rolling up in her stomach. As they made their way back to the gate, Bryn handed the box to Deidara with a comment of 'take this to the other side,' and then proceeded to shove the backpacks through the narrow gap. Tobi stayed behind them while Deidara hopped over. Rae slid through after Bryn as she continued, "You _know_ I hate that thing. It'll rot their brains. It'll rot _all_ our brains, Bryn. We should leave it in the car."

"Not happening," Bryn didn't take the box from Deidara. The blonde was staring down at the box in his arms with a slight frown, undoubtedly wondering _what_ was stored in there. Tobi zipped past them, voice carrying over the distance as he said, "Rae-chan's right. If it'll injury our minds, it's best to leave it behind!"

"She's jesting, Tobi!" Bryn called after the masked man, jogging to close the distance between them. Rae exhaled, shaking her head, before going after them. As she closed in on them, she heard Bryn saying, "It won't _really_ rot our brains out. She just says that because she doesn't like the kids using it. That's all."

"It serves no purpose," Rae pointed out.

Bryn snorted. "It keeps them _distracted,_ Rae. That's one hell of a purpose."

Rae didn't answer. She simply carried her own load back to the house and stormed right through the front doors, face set in an angry scowl. She darted between Sasori and Pein, saying nothing as she felt their gazes cut into the back of her head. Behind her, she heard Bryn calling out to her.

The fairer-haired girl continued her path, undeterred. In the background, she heard Deidara say to Sasori, "Whatever's in this box, Dana, I don't think _any_ of us are going to like it…"

Rae made her way into the living area, dropping her bags on one of the sofas without thinking. Then she grabbed her purse, riffling through the contents as her temple began to pound. Her hands were beginning to tremble again, skin too sensitive for her taste. Her fingers brushed over a makeup bag and then, just beneath, something larger, metal and _cold_.

She reached past it, grabbing onto a bottle of unlabeled pills. Rae withdrew her hand from the darkness of her purse, pulse thundering underneath her skin. She set the bag beside her feet and tucked her hands between her knees, head bowed, and face shadowed by almost-white bangs.

Her eyes closed as her hands fisted, shaking, around a bottle of pills.

She could still feel the sleek body of a gun against her fingers.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

This is the fourth chapter of this story and it's a bit of a doozy.

It's been so _long_ since I've dabbled in this story. I've recently started to rewatch the anime. Naruto was quite the character, wasn't he? It's hard to imagine how the show went from what it was to how it _ends_. Other than that small comment, I'm glad this chapter is done and over with. I was fighting with myself over how to write it because I want it to be interesting (at the very least) to read while also being true (to a degree) on how the Akatsuki would be and how people would _actually_ react if a group of deadly criminals butted their way into their lives without so much as a 'by your leave.'

Granted, this is _just_ the beginning of the story. Pieces of it are picking up as I get a tad more comfortable writing these people.

Drama is being plotted - after all, isn't a gun in a momma's purse a promise? And why would Rae-chan need to have a gun, anyway? And why the harsh reaction to realizing it was in there and her grip on those pills? The ending of this really does throw a wrench into the story, actually. The ending of this chapter is a bit of a shock and a cliffhanger, in its own way. There's _something_ there.

The question is...

 _What?_


	5. 30, December 2017

**A Song Of Storm And Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

* * *

In the all years Brynlee Gough had known Rae and the kids, the change in their mannerisms was something she wasn't prepared for. Having known Rae since their early years as troublemakers, as malefactors whose only crime was their very birth, Bryn knew when something was off. She knew the unexplained appearance of the Akatsuki was only part of what was going on, but it did not explain why Rae, and the kids, were acting so very… _odd_.

Thom and Lexi, who had always been together or near one another, were separate and moving on their own as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Granted, Bryn couldn't say it _wasn't_ natural. She had only _really_ gotten to know the kids over the last few years after Rae came to her asking for a job. Bryn hadn't asked questions.

Now she wished she had.

Rae was much the same, though. Bryn knew the younger girl was likely sitting at a counter, or in a chair, slaving away over her laptop and its portable, _massive_ battery. Bryn stepped away from her own task, a half-gutted room that was stripped bare. Behind her, Kisame and Kakuzu were yanking down the walls with all the gusto of over-excited children.

Well, _Kisame_ was.

Kakuzu was an expressionless patchwork doll with a permanent tick over his forehead.

Bryn turned her gaze on the two working men, both devoid of shirts. Kakuzu was also lacking that mask of his, face bared entirely as he took a drink from the water bottle Rae had provided them early that morning before disappearing somewhere else in the house to do her own job. Bryn was more than happy to let the petite teenager to handle all the paperwork.

She wondered where Hidan, who was _originally_ supposed to be helping her and Kisame, had ran off to. Bryn doubted Itachi would have any problems looking after Rae, not when she was in work mode. The only issue he'd likely have was to get her to eat or drink anything. The woman was a workaholic, born and raised. Sometimes Bryn wondered if that was a good thing.

When Kisame tore off a section of the wall, Bryn's thoughts were derailed when she was forced to dunk out of the way. The large, gray-blue-skinned man laughed, a deep boisterous sound that was at odds with the killer instinct Bryn knew laid underneath. He flashed a razor-sharp smile, his eyes settling on her as he wiped a few wet, black strands of hair out of his face.

"It's been a long time since I last did this kind of work," he commented as he took a seat on the floor, his feet dangling into the gap in the floor that had been pried away earlier that day. He took a drink of his gallon of water, transparent beads of life-giving fluid gliding down his chin and throat. When he gestured to the room around them, he continued, "None of the houses I worked on were like this, though. These walls are sturdy. The building itself seems to fight us as we prior it apart, piece-by-piece."

"If Rae's to believed, then the house _is_ fighting," Bryn plopped down across from him, Indian style on the ground. She caught her water bottle when he tossed it over. She took a small drink before she continued, "She has odd thoughts about houses. The older they are, the more _aware_ they are – her words, not mine. Finds them to be a nightmare to fix. I'm shocked she took this job."

In the days they had to adjust to the newcomers in their lives, and to comb over the massive building, Bryn had seen Rae's reaction to the home. Her eyes, normally so bright, darkened until the once violet-blue irises were gunmetal gray. She was hardly eating anything, either.

"Generally, she takes the smaller jobs but when the Agency stated we'd be all the way out here, on the outskirts of Hangleton Bay," Bryn recalled the light that had lit in Rae's eyes as their boss handed them the paperwork. She looked relieved. Happy, almost. "Rae took the job without a single question. Didn't bother to ask for the prelim work, didn't care about the distance or the fact we're in the middle of fucking nowhere."

Kisame hummed in response. "And this is unusual for her?"

"Damn right, it is!" Bryn hopped to her feet, a wide smile spreading across her face. "I don't mind now, though. This house, it's going to be _beautiful_ when we're done with her. We'll be _rich,_ for a year or two. Though Rae needs to tweak the paperwork to compensate for the ten additional bodies. Ten is greater than five, and the boss will ask questions."

"Five?" It was Kakuzu who threw that question out.

Bryn turned to him, noticing his vibrant, glowing green gaze was on her. "Yeah, _five_. Three adults, two children. Our other partner, Barbie, he's not supposed to arrive for another week or two. If all goes well, we'll have your lot back to the world you came from."

As the thought shifted in her head, another realization bloomed. "And we'll have to explain why all of you left, too…"

Bryn knew she needed to talk to Rae, needed to address this point. She turned and left the room, the gears in her mind shuddering as they smashed together. This was a huge issue. Not even a lot of carefully forged paperwork would explain _ten_ people, not when the Boss was quick to notice such drastic changes. God, what had they gotten themselves into?

 _A_ s Kisame yelled after her, Bryn ignored the giant blue man. Rae needed to explain this. _Now_. When a strong hand caught her arm, Bryn was forced to a complete stop. Kakuzu was trailing after the larger man as she yelled, "Let me go, Kisame! I need to talk to Rae. _Let go of me!"_

"No happening," Kisame threw her back into the room they had just left, voice low as he said, "I don't know why you're freaking out, but we have a job to do. You can ask Rae-san whatever you want this evening once everyone's done with their tasks."

Bryn whirled on this man, eyes narrowed to slit as she snarled, _"You don't have any clue, do you!_ Just because this world doesn't have magic or inhumanly powerful men with medieval weapons doesn't mean we don't have issues. _And we have an issue!"_

Rae's job, it wasn't something that was easily passed over. Bryn knew that.

Even if Kisame and Kakuzu, or even Pein, didn't understand, Bryn did. Something was off. Rae wasn't _acting_ like Rae. She knew all the paperwork was likely taking a toll on her friend, knew that the fear the children were trying to hide was eating at her. It was eating at Bryn, too. She loved the kids, adored them – she just wished Rae would let her in.

She buried her fingers through her hand, fisting at the strands as she said, "What we do, it isn't easy, Kisame. There's more to what we do than simply _repairing_ old houses. Rae, she's the major defense around here. I don't know if there's anything _here,_ Kisame! And if there is, she's not going to say anything now!"

Bryn focus shifted to the large, blue-skinned man. He was blinking, confusion etched into the depths of his eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Had she said too much? When his head cocked to the side, she realized she had when he asked, "What do you mean you don't know if there's anything here? And how is _Rae-san_ our greatest defense? It's not like she can stop us."

Bryn couldn't contain the laughter, then. "Oh, you don't know _anything!_ If you think _you're_ our greatest worry? Don't make me laugh!"

She hoped Barbie would show up sometime. He would have an idea on what's going on. Bryn ran a hand down her face, drawing in a calming breath as Kakuzu said, "You honestly think the Akatsuki isn't the primary danger here?"

Bryn laughed. "Of _course_ you're not!"

"Elaborate," the cold voice came from the doorway and Bryn turned to see an orange-haired man in the doorway, grey eyes cold. Pein was standing there, relaxed, but his eyes were dark and there was a hint of anger underneath. Bryn leaned against the wall as he said, "Bryn-san, if there is anything that presents a danger to my organization, we need to know about it."

"There's nothing you can do," Bryn held his gaze calmly, resigned as he stepped into the room with Konan behind him. The two were eyeing her with an intensity Bryn hadn't been exposed to in a long time. After a moment, the brunette said, "If you want to know more, you'll have to wait for Rae. She's the one who figures these things out."

000

Rae sat at the table in one of the backrooms, laptop in front of her.

She eyed the diagrams on the screen, on the notes jotted down along the sides of the open document she had displayed on her laptop. Her gaze returned to Bryn's notebook, unsettled as she flipped through the pages with a furrowed brow. Leaning over the table as she was, it was a miracle Rae hadn't started to feel the strain on her back; she was focused, in the zone, on all the work set before her.

Other than the notes on the house and what Bryn had uncovered so far, there was the other matter at hand. One Rae knew had to be addressed. The sooner the better, really. Standing, notebook in hand and pen stuck behind her ear, she began to pace the room. She felt Itachi's attention shift to her, his dark gaze peering in her general direction.

"Itachi?"

"Yes, Rae-san?"

She looked over at him, meeting that dark gaze as she asked, "How much would you say the lot of you eat? A rough estimate will suffice."

He blinked, lips pressing into a thin line. He sat there, for a time, saying nothing, before he finally let out that characteristic 'hn' noise he tended to make. Then he said, "Somewhere between eight and a hundred pounds a day, when we're able to eat as we should."

Rae's jaw dropped. He stood, then, and, without that cloak of his, Rae was able to map out the cords of muscle that decorated his body. Itachi crossed the room to her side as he said, "Kisame and Hidan-san consume roughly seven pounds a meal, on their good day."

"Alright, a hundred pounds of food for the Akatsuki…" Rae paused in the center of the room, her little black book bending under the force of her grip. Her mind threatened to shut down as the numbers added up in her head, easily surpassing the safe net she had set for emergencies for _five_ people. Her own little group, Barbie included, would consume, _at the most,_ thirty pounds. She ran a hand through her hair. "Adding my own little group, that would make about one-hundred-fifty pounds of food with the safety net. In a week, that be about one thousand pounds of food…"

She dropped onto a seat. "Making four thousand pounds in a month."

She eyed the budget with despair. There was no _way_ she could make that work. No fucking way. Rae combed her hands through her hair, mind whirling as she tried to figure out a solution that wouldn't lead her into an early grave. Rising to her feet, she began pacing once again. Itachi's gaze stalked her about the room, in silence, the entire time.

Her mind shifted towards the amount it would cost if she hired help to help fix the house. The number of people needed, the cost of labor (at a bloody $35 an hour for _new_ workers and $50 for those who had been doing intensive labor for years), the cost of supplies…she turned, grabbed her notebook, and started writing again.

There was a lot that had to be done. Rae started jotting down the notes needed, on what needed to be done and when. What had to be covered first so they could proceed. There was so much ground to cover. As she began pacing again, she said, "We have a problem, Itachi. A big one. I think I can fix it, though. Maybe. God, I need to talk to your leader. Bloody fucking _hell!"_

There was something about this place, something that was alive and aware. Rae felt it as she stalked out of the room, her temple beginning to pound as she cut and wove her way through the maze of hallways. Itachi, her silent shadow, stayed directly behind her the entire time. The heat of his body pushed away the chill trying to creep under her skin, a welcome relief to the cold that hung over the halls and rooms.

She would take the stairs to the kitchen. "What are you, anyway?"

It was a question that haunted her thoughts. After Pein had thrown her into a wall with invisible, magic hands, it was something Rae knew she needed to know. She had to have some knowledge of these men (and woman) if she was to work around them. If she was going to protect the kids, she needed to know what she was protecting them from.

Itachi made that grunt-like noise of his before he said, "I am a shinobi, Rae-san."

"Shinobi?" They were in the kitchen at this point and she noticed Tobi sitting at the counter with a book in hand. His elbow rested on the cracked and broken surface, though his head lifted as Itachi said, "Soldiers, essentially. Ninja. The Akatsuki is composed of shinobi and one kunoichi."

"I'm taking it that 'shinobi' is a male ninja and 'kunoichi' is female?"

"Hai," She blinked at the soft word, and then realized it meant 'yes.' Rae nodded, brow furrowed in thought. After a moment, she asked, "Criminals and ninjas. I guess that explains the swords I've seen here and there. How are ninjas different from other warriors?"

"We can utilize various forms of jutsu," Itachi replied easily as she crossed to the _only_ door in the house that would not open, one which she assumed lead to some underground saferoom or cellar. There wasn't a lock on the door. There wasn't a doorknob either. Rae pressed on it as the man continued, voice calm, "Ninjutsu and taijutsu are the techniques most often seen."

"What is ninjutsu and taijutsu?" Rae had turned to him, at this point.

With one hand was still on the locked door, her attention was on the man in front of her, she felt trapped between two forces. The sensation was one that came unbidden, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

When Itachi took to his silence, Tobi said, "Ninjutsu is the ability to wield chakra as an elemental weapon. I believe there are cultures which call this _'magic.'_ Taijutsu is physical skills such as hand-to-hand combat, stamina, and flexibility. Jutsu are techniques that enable ninja, such as us, to go beyond what is normal for most individuals. There are, however, exceptions to this rule…"

"Well, fuck," Rae ran a hand through her hair, ignoring the hard stares both were leveling her with. Or she assumed Tobi was leveling her with, given she couldn't see the man's eyes. Rae shook her head and turned back to the door, "Great, so I have Magical Criminal Boys in my home, and one Magical Girl, all of them with an ungodly appetite. Lovely. Just fan-fucking-tastic…"

Rae's mind shifted to Pein. She hadn't enjoyed getting hurled through the air and smashed into a wall. She was more than displeased that one of these bastards had smacked her daughter, her blood boiling at the thought someone would dare raise a hand to a child. Thom was wise enough to keep his head low. A burst of pain tore through her as she recalled _why_ that little boy was able to withstand the horror show thrust upon them.

As the thought of her children came to mind, Rae smiled.

When together, they were a force to be reckoned with. Separate, they were unpredictable.

She turned back to the door, eyeing it with a flare of irritation. When she ran her hand along the cracks, she fought the violent shudder that coiled through her body. The air coming from the gaps was frozen, so bitterly cold that her flesh turned a milky white. She tucked her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie, turning, once again, to face the two men watching her.

"We don't have that sort of power, here," Rae knew there were _other_ forces which could prove disastrous, but bringing that topic up wasn't a wise one. When she noticed Bryn coming into the kitchen, face schooled, with four ninjas behind her – Rae was forced to acknowledge that the very thing she didn't want to talk about may be out of her hands. She continued, "The only thing that really makes one person stand out from another would be our mental, and physical, capabilities. Some people are inhumanely intelligent. Some are monstrously strong. We don't come across this often, in this line of work."

 _'A lie, but they don't need to know that,'_ Rae crossed over to the counter, going onto tiptoe to open the cupboards. She rifled through the contents as Pein said, "It would seem you have more information than that to share, Rae-san. Something you neglected to speak of."

Sometimes she wanted to strangle Bryn. _'She brought it up. Lovely.'_

Rae found a bag of chips and popped it open. Cheesy goodness went into her mouth as she leaned against the counter. How was she to address this topic? She chewed, slowly, as she let the topic of the upcoming conversation whirl around within her mind. It wasn't something that just came up in normal conversations. It was a topic that landed sane people in asylums. She would know.

After a while, she finally sighed. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Pein."

Rae shot Bryn a cool look, a spark of internal satisfaction rising as the older girl flinched. Her attention shifted back to the Akatsuki's leader, blinking hard when she found herself within arm's reach of him. If he reached out, he could touch her. Popping another curly chip into her mouth, savoring the taste, Rae continued, "Any possible complications with the job I'm undertaking will not have an impact on you or yours. I do this kind of work all the time. I know damage control."

"What are these possible complications?"

 _'He's going to press, then,'_ Rae almost set the chips aside, frustration welling within her as she shook her head. Why did people have to press on this topic? Why couldn't they just leave what was unsaid stay _unsaid?_ When she looked this man in the eye, memorized by the gray rings within that cold and hard stare, Rae knew her answer. _'A situation unknown has the possibly of being deadly. That's a chance he won't take.'_

Rae set the chips aside, then. "The issues that _could_ arise have nothing to do with the realm of the living, Pein. It has to do with the dead."

The look he gave her was one that she couldn't read. Itachi and Tobi were staring, Kakuzu and Kisame were staring, _Hidan,_ who had just entered the room, stopped and stared. Rae closed her eyes, knowing what, exactly, the looks she was getting meant. Inhaling through her nose, she counted to ten, and then, after the exhale, said, "The dead don't always depart, Pein. Not in this world. Sometimes they lingered because of unfinished business. Sometimes they cannot leave because something _else_ is blocking their journey to the next life."

After a long moment, Pein gave her an order: "Explain."

"I can't," Rae looked him in the eyes, as she said this. "I don't know how it works. No one does."

He stepped forward, once again. The space between them shrunk, their chests inches apart as he stared down his nose at her. Rae had to crane her head back to hold that impossible gaze, her throat vulnerable as she said, "It's a risk in the line of work I do, Pein. It might not be an issue, here. However, if there _is_ something here…"

"If there is," Pein echoed, something dark in his voice.

Rae held his gaze as she said, "Then I'll keep you and _yours_ safe."

The air seemed to vanish from the room. Hidan, who's mouth was opening, clicked shut. Kisame seemed taken aback. Pein's gaze was unreadable, much like Tobi's (who's face, she was certain, would always be hidden by that infernal mask of his). Bryn's expression had softened.

Rae closed the distance between them when she set a hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. Pein's gaze flicked to her hand before returning to her face, all hard muscle tight and unyielding as she continued, "If this house is possessed, I will protect you and your people. If there is an issue with the dead, I will clear things up before they become a problem. You are _my_ problem. Your _people_ are my problem. Your wellbeing, and theirs, are mine to look after. We might hate each other, you may decide to up and kill me for no fucking reason, but as long as you are under _my_ care, I will make sure every one of you is cared for."

 _'Within reason, naturally,'_ Rae stepped back, turning towards the cupboards as she added, "That actually brings me to another point that I need to make. Itachi has informed me about how much all of you _can_ eat. I am, in no way, prepared, or finically stable enough, to feed so many. Not as things are now."

When he inclined his head, Rae dove into the conversation. The rest of the group had ambled into the room, one after another, as she told them about the state the house was in and the costs it would take to fix it – and how much it would cost, _roughly,_ to feed their group while also covering the expenses of the workers she would have to hire. Kakuzu had leaned in the moment the conversation turned to money and the finite details, his attention unwavering.

It would have been flattering if he'd been someone… _else._

"You can see what the issue is," Rae ran a hand through Thom's unruly hair, relaxing as her son leaned into her side. Lexi was holding Bryn's hand, head tucked against the older girl's side. Rae watched the two of them, content. Her gaze shifted back to Pein as she said, "I can't pay the workers while also feeding so many people. Even after I get all of you cleared, and my budget raised, the sheer _level_ of food that would be needed…"

She didn't even want to _say_ it. She felt sick thinking about it. A few members of the Akatsuki stepped back, talking among themselves in their own language. Pein and Konan pulled Kakuzu aside, the three of them speaking in hushed tones. Rae crossed the room and sat at the table, Thom following her. She pulled him into her lap, resting her chin on the crown of his head as Lexi made her way to her.

"Mama?" Rae peered down into the bright, excited eyes.

She stroked her daughter's cheek. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think we can start telling stories again?" Lexi leaned against her knees, body resting between her brother's legs and her hands folded in his lap. Thom set his hands on hers, a sense of excitement curling through him as Lexi stared imploringly up at her. Rae thought about it for a moment before answering, "I don't know, sweetie. Do you have some ideas?"

"Uh-huh!" Lexi bounced backwards, her happy, melodious voice carrying as she said, "I want to continue the story of the Exiled Queen! This building looks _exactly_ like what I pictured the base she'd escape to would look like. Can we tell stories, mama? Can we?"

Thom nodded along as Lexi continued, "We can make up stories until DDR is hooked up!"

"DDR?" Deidara had made his way to their corner, head cocked to the side. Sasori was behind him, bored in appearance. There was a spark to his eye that told of some interest as Lexi whirled around on them. Her hands were balled up at her sides as she exclaimed, _"Dance Dance Revolution!_ It's the best game _in the world!_ Mama has to hook up the lines before we can play! I bet you'd be good at it, Dara! Aunty Bryn always says blondes have the best moves!"

 _"Dara?"_ The blonde's jaw had dropped.

Rae's gaze snapped to a pale Bryn, the older girl's hands darting into the air as Lexi giggled and turned to Sasori. The short redhead stepped backward, eyes narrowing on the child. Lexi didn't care. She went right at him, massive grin in place as she grabbed his pants and beamed up at him, her voice sugary sweet as she asked the suddenly uncomfortable redhead, "Don't you agree, Ori? Don't you think Dara would be a good dancer?"

Rae _knew_ he wasn't comfortable with the child holding onto him. He stared down at her, all tense and hostile. He didn't hit her, though. Lexi hadn't done anything to warrant such a reaction, though she wondered at his restraint. Rae began to make her way towards her daughter as Thom crossed the room and climbed into a seat and then onto the counter.

She hauled her daughter off the young man as Pein said, "I think this issue has been solved."

Rae turned to him, giving him her undivided attention as she lifted Lexi into her arms. Pein eyed the child for a moment before continuing, "Many of us have a degree of skill in construction due to our upbringings before we left our villages. If you can teach us how to do other jobs in this house, the need to hire outside help won't be necessary. Kakuzu will handle the budget, though you will need to teach him, and the rest of us, your alphabet and numerical system."

She stared at him before looking over the group. "You want me to be your… _teacher?"_

"Yes," it was Konan who spoke, her voice soft. "If we are to remain in this world for an extended amount of time, we will need to know basics. From there, we can build on what we know on our own. Until then, we place ourselves in your hands."

"You want me to be your teacher…" Rae sat down, not quite sure what she thought of this turn of events. To the side, Tobi stated, "We will need to know more about your ghosts, Rae-chan."

She thought as much. Rae dropped her head into her hands. Why her? Why couldn't _Bryn_ teach them? Even as she asked herself that question, Rae already knew the answer. Bryn did a lot of the manual labor in this place. Rae was the one who handled the paperwork and everything that happened behind the scenes. Leaning back, she eyed the group before leveling a hard look on the whole lot of them.

"I'll say this once," Rae meet their gazes, one after another. She held each gaze, refusing to blink, before standing. Her job was going to get so much harder. Folding her hands behind her back, she continued, "When I am _teaching_ you, I will be obeyed. I will not tolerate fools or idiots in any classroom of mine. I don't care if your ninja. I don't care if your criminals. I will instruct you, and you, my dear _ninja,_ will listen. Do you understand this?"

Pein stepped forward, bowing at the waist. "Every student knows to obey their sensei, Rae-san."

Nodding, Rae stepped back. Pein straightened, a gleam in his eyes. Clearing her throat, she turned to Kakuzu as she said, "Given you're going to be overseeing the budget, we'll start with the numerical system. Once you understand how our money works here, we'll jump into the alphabet and the rules of our language. Now let's finish our jobs for the day. We're losing daylight."

As she turned and left, the chill in the air ghosted away.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Bloody hell, this chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. I've been thinking on this story off and on, and a few things in this chapter kind of come out of nowhere, but that'll be explained later. Hopefully. With the number of stories I'm working on (and my YouTube channel that I've just started) and my account on FictionPress and WordPress, I'm hounded for time. I just recorded an hour-long video on Stardew Valley before coming here, so I've been staring at a computer screen for a long time tonight. I'm not done, either. I gotta go and see what other stories I need to work on before heading off to bed.

This chapter is so long...

I'm still hung up over that. Shy of five-thousand words. That's a lot to take in. Almost ten pages (compared to the three-five I usually write) of text are in this bad boy, all of it I'm proud of. Writing the Akatsuki is harder than I thought it would be. I haven't really played with these guys in a long time, and I'm also wanting to flesh them out and make them _breathe_ in this story. There's so much to be done, for this story to work, and I'm happy the few of this that are reading this are enjoying the crazy ride.

With that said: _Favorite, Follow, and Review!_


	6. 06, June 2018

**A Song of Storm and Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

* * *

He didn't like these people, not in any shape or way.

Thom stayed towards the wall as he watched Tobi and Itachi speak, their voices odd and different in that weird language they spoke. He wondered if Lexi had found anything of interest they could bring to their mother's attention. His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away from the two ninjas on the other side of the room, conscious of how they were well-aware of where he stood.

His attention shifted to the floor that was destroyed and the gutted walls.

Aunt Brynn was making quick work of the first floor. _'Why hasn't mother told her, yet?'_

Moving away from his corner, Thom made his way to the two men and stopped just outside of their reach. He didn't want _any_ of them touching him. He could recall the overwhelming force in the blue-skinned man's grip, when he had caught him. Staring through his lashes, he held these two men under his gaze until their conversation died and then they looked down at him.

"Yes, Thom-kun?" Tobi squatted so they were eye-to-masked-eyes. Thom frowned. Was this man an idiot? His gaze settled into a glower as he shifted and pointed towards the door, his gaze never leaving this man, not once, as he silently communicated his desire. He wasn't sure what Tobi was thinking, what with his face being obscured, but the mouth quirked into a tense smile before the masked ninja asked, "Should we go outside?"

Thom shook his head. Tobi stood fully, a playful lit to his voice as he asked, "The kitchen?"

The small boy considered that for a moment before nodding. Thom didn't wait for an answer, then. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room as Tobi said to Itachi, "We can continue our conversation later, Itachi-kun. It's time to resume babysitting our charges."

 _'Babysit? Right,'_ Thom dunked under Pein's legs as he made his way into the hallway, not caring to spare the man a look as he turned in the next hall. Behind him, he heard Tobi greet his leader before he yelled, "Thom-kun, don't get so far ahead!"

When he entered the kitchen, the sight of Bryn chugging a gallon of water smoothed the harsh lines around his eyes. The tension around his mouth eased and he slowed as he watched her wipe her mouth with the back of her hand. Kisame and Hidan were sitting at the semi-restored table, both munching on a sandwich as Bryn caught sight of him.

"Thom!" He let his aunt lift him off the floor and he settled his hands on her shoulders as he was sat on her hip. Bryn nudged his nose with hers before kissing his cheek, her voice soft as she asked, "Where's you masked stalker?"

Thom pointed towards the hallway right as Tobi bounded into the kitchen, his displeasure of the masked ninja clear as day when he scowled. Bryn ran a hand through his hair, giggling softly as she said, "He can't be _that_ bad, Thom. Maybe you should try to become friends with him?"

 _'I'll become friends with a two-faced killer the day my father dies,'_ Thom rested his head on her shoulder, glaring at the man as he came closer. Tobi paused, Itachi behind him. Thom saw the shift in the man, how the weight shifted and how that smile– _fake,_ his mind whispered –spread with a touch of blackened innocence. _'He's a liar. They all are. Mother told us not to trust anyone but her and Auntie. Everyone else, they're all liars.'_

After a moment, Tobi turned and made his way to the counter where he grabbed a bottle of water resting there. At the same time, Lexi came into the room, all squealing laughter and animated in-ability to be still, with Deidara and Sasori on her heels. _'What are you doing, Lexi? You can't trust 'em.'_

Lexi's gaze slid to where he rested on their aunt, a shadow passing over her eyes for a moment before it vanished behind a glowing, angelic smile. She didn't trust them, he realized with contentment. These ninjas, they were the enemy. They were the bad guys who would take their mother away if they weren't careful.

That was unacceptable. She agreed, in that silent way only they could understand.

Lexi ran up to them, grabbing Bryn's legs as she asked, "Can Thom play with Dara, Ori and me?"

Behind her, the two ninjas scowled. _'They don't like their nicknames. Good.'_

Bryn shifted him on her hip, voice calm as she said, "You'll have to ask Tobi, Lexi."

Lexi ran up to Tobi, latching onto the front of his legs as she asked, "Can Thom come and play with me and Dara and Ori? Please? _Pretty_ please?"

Thom knew, just by the sound of her voice, she was using the most sickening, cute, kicked-puppy look she had. He heard Kisame's deep chuckle and turned, seeing the man flash a sharp-toothed smile as Tobi said, "Hai, Lexi-chan! We can all play together."

 _'Not happening, Lollipop Wannabe,'_ Thom patted Bryn's chest, right above the breasts, and then he pointed at the ground once he had her attention. His aunt set him down and, within moments, Lexi had her arms wound around his neck and her mouth pressed to the corner of his. Thom stared straight ahead, straight-faced and bored. _'At least I can see how she's doing with the artsy two. They should be easy to work. Especially Dara.'_

Lexi smiled against his cheek, her voice a soft whisper. "You have _no_ idea."

.

She wasn't entirely certain how it happened, but she was alone. Rae looked up from her the books scattered across the table to find Itachi gone, though she knew Kakuzu was somewhere near. He was making remarkable progress on the lessons she had given him. They all were. She ran a hand through her hair, tired but unwilling to slow down. She checked Hidan's math a second time, making sure there weren't any mistakes.

There weren't.

As she stood, Kakuzu seemed to glide into the room in that silent way she suspected that only ninja was able to do. He had a math workbook in his hand, a pen in the other. He was already halfway through it, eyes narrowed in thought as he muttered under his breath. When he handed the book to her, she took it and set it aside with the _rest_ of the workbooks she had made for the rest of the Akatsuki. She was glad she kept on top of the kids' schooling, all things considered.

They were all learning everything she threw at them, all seeming to be geniuses. It was a terrifying thought. Their minds were sharp, their skills sharper. Getting anything over them would be hard, but she was certain she could. These people, they weren't _used_ to dealing with civilians and the occasional small child. She could work that to her favor.

The gun tucked into the back of her pants was a constant anchor, something safe.

"Have you looked at the smaller budgets, Kakuzu?"

"I have, yes," Kakuzu looked over at her, gesturing to the door. Rae passed him and felt him fall into step behind her elbow as he continued, "You were correct. Feeding all of us on the current budgets we've tried to create will be difficult. I have a few ideas on how to counter it."

She looked over her shoulder. "Really?"

He grunted in response. They made their way through the various hallways, towards the kitchen where she knew the rest had gathered. It was about time for lunch, as it was, and then they'd have the rest of the afternoon off to rest and unwind. She hated Saturdays. As they entered the kitchen, Rae was pleased to see she and Kakuzu were the last two to arrive.

Bryn was fixing their plates as they took a seat, Kakuzu continuing, "From what I have seen, there is plenty of wildlife that could be used as a means of sustenance. Zetsu's analysis of the ground shows that the soil is good, which could be applied towards a garden."

"There's a well, too!" Lexi piped up, eyes all wide and happy. Rae gestured to her daughter and the small girl was more than happy to add, "I found it with Dara and Ori! It's one of the old ones, mama. You have to put your muscles into it!"

Rae tapped her fingers on the table, thanking Bryn when the food was put in front of her. She turned her gaze to the two ninjas who looked after her daughter as she asked, "How far is the well from the house?"

"It's a little over three miles off," Sasori commented easily, bored. He trailed his fingers over the top of the table, eyeing the slender digits with interest. She wondered if he was sensitive to the way things felt, overly aware of each groove in the stones and every crack. He looked back at her as he said, "We will take you after we eat. If we can get it to work, that will be one less thing any of us need to worry about."

Rae wasn't paying that much attention as she dragged out her computerized notebook, turning on the blueprints of the building. She scanned the various landmarks surrounding the house, gaze narrowed as she considered the indicators to the pipelines running under the ground. As she hunted the various access points for water, she said, "It seems all the wells are about the same distance from the house. If we can get into the basement, I can see if the pipes are connected."

"Basement?" Konan had finished her plate, taking it to the sink where the other dirty dishes of the past week-or-so rested. Rae noted how the blue-haired woman eyed the sink with disdain before she turned back to the group. "I take it that door that you haven't been able to open leads to the basement, then. Why is it locked?"

Rae ran a hand through her hair as a few of the members drifted away, not even one of them saying anything as she met the blue-haired woman's gaze, "Why is it locked? I don't know.

"If I'm right, the powerlines are also down there," Rae turned to her sister-in-arms, calm despite the multiple gazes locked on her as she continued, "Bryn, have you looked over the foundation?"

"Yeah, I did," The older woman leaned back in her seat, wide grin spreading across her face as she continued, "Classic horror story, sista! Cracked. Fungus growing out of parts of it. On the east side of the building, there's a bit of a _sinkhole_ forming. Wonder what monster sleeps there?"

Rae leveled a disapproving look on her friend even as she asked, "Shall we go over the possibility of the _Exorcist_ taking place here or _Chainsaw Massacre_?"

A phantom grasp around her throat drew her mind away from the horror flicks, body stilling as unseen fingers pressed, warningly, into the tender flesh of her neck. When she looked from Brynlee to Pein, the leader of the Akatsuki resting his chin on laced fingers and peering at her steadily, she turned her mind to the task ahead of them. Swallowing, she held his gaze, waiting for the pressure to lessen. When it tightened, it took considerable control to not flinch.

"You were saying, Rae-san?"

A thin smile spread across her face. "The basement is locked. The grid and waterlines are likely located down there. The blueprints say as much. I don't know if the wells Lexi, Deidara, and Sasori found are connected to the building or if they existed beforehand until–"

"The wells are dried up," Zetsu interrupted, black side of his face scowling. "Kisame can fix that."

"He can?" Rae's gaze shifted to the large ninja with shark-like teeth. "You can?"

Brynlee prompted her to eat the food in front of her. Rae did so, gaze shifting from one ninja to the next as Kisame said, "Aye, I can. Water-based jutsu is my specialty. Filling a few empty wells won't be an issue. Now, what _could_ be in that basement? Leader-sama mentioned the _possibility_ of dead things going bump in the night."

She suspected he was more a man of action than a pursuer of intellectual discoveries. His dark-haired partner, Itachi, was peering at her, black eyes half-lidded, as she processed Kisame's question and how best to answer with an invisible hand wrapped around her throat. As she took another bite of her food, she felt the palms of her hands, and her toes, begin to tingle.

A flush was creeping up her skin, hot and uncomfortable as she said, "What's in the basement is likely a shit-ton of junk that hasn't seen the light in over a century. Pipes. Old electric boards. As for things going bump in the night? That's the real concern, isn't it?"

No one had to say anything. Rae continued, "The older a house is, the more likely something else lurks in the shadows. In the walls. The floors. I don't think there's much to worry about, given the work we've already done, but if there is something here…"

Rae didn't finish this time. The message was clear.

If there _was_ something in the house, it was biding its time.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

It has been five months and one week since my last update on this story.

I have a laptop, now. It's been so long since I've written anything on FanFiction, but I was compelled to write this chapter after a lovely writer whose work I enjoy (iram0123, I'm talking about _you!)_ replied generously to a comment I left on her story. I was so flattered by what she said that I wanted to give something back, considering praise is something each of us enjoys. So this chapter's for you, Missi Iram! I hope you enjoy it.

For those of you who notice how much shorter this chapter is compared to others, I'm sorry. I lost a lot of my work on this story, so I had to reread everything (and I plan on going back to fix typos, one of these days when I'm not working) and figure out where I wanted to go after the _last_ chapter. This is what I came up with. I'm not overly sure what I think about it, but it helps me set up what's coming. So I suppose this is a filler? Probably.

Also, I have recently fallen in love with SpiderPool. _Hard_ in love! Kind of how I view Harry/Tom/Voldemort.

Another guilty obessession. Don't hate me.

Read, Enjoy, _Review!_


	7. 12, June 2018

**A Song of Storm and Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

* * *

Speaking of the dead wasn't something Rae did often. She had learned, in her youth, that _not_ addressing the spirits in the houses and lands she occupied was safer then confronting them. It was like war– whether to go in, full charge, with or without a strategy. Sitting in a roomful of ninja who are pocking at the spiritual was like opening fire on a dry, dead forest. The potential for _bad shit_ happening was too great and Rae pressed her lips into a thin line.

With the pressure of Pein's chakra wrapped around her neck, Rae said, "Forget about the dead, for now. There's a lot to be done. Deidara, Sasori, much as I appreciate the offer to _take_ me to the well in question, I'll skip."

The pressure increased, but Rae ignored it as she said, "Take Kisame and Zetsu up there and see what can be done. Bryn, I need _you_ to figure out a way into the basement. Also, check the sheds around the estate to see if there's backup generators and all that."

That left six Akatsuki and two kids. Thom pressed against her leg as Bryn groaned, head flopping back as the older woman stared up at the ceiling. Pein's stare was hard, displeasure radiating out of him as Rae stood. She ran a hand through her hair, gaze landing on the expressionless woman with blue hair. Konan returned the stare evenly.

"I need your help, Konan," Rae admitted, her gaze sweeping over the group. "As we are now, we don't have everything we need to ensure we're all good. I need to go to town and get supplies and all of _you_ need clothing. We need medicine, preservatives, toiletries. Food."

"No," Pein's voice was hard and Rae's gaze slid to him.

He was making his way to her, eyes narrowed and the air around him humming with energy as she replied, _"Yes,_ Pein. I'm trying to fix this place. I'm constantly hearing _complaints_. About the house, about the weather, about the _differences_. The trust of the matter is simple. We have no toilet paper. We're low on food. We have no bandages or medicine. _We need supplies._ "

When his thumb brushed her jaw, her mouth clicked shut. Pupils blown, Rae focused on the light weight against her throat– not chakra, but _actual skin._ The Leader of the Akatsuki cupped her face in his hands, thumbs brushing underneath her eyes. His gaze was intent on hers, cold and dark and at odds with the almost _comforting_ touch. The weight of his chakra wrapped around her body as his hands slid to her neck, thumbs pressing into her throat now that she was quiet.

There was a tension in the room as he spoke, voice soft, "You will take Konan to town and acquire the supplies we need. You will leave both of your children here. If you try to run, _they_ will pay the price. Am I making myself clear, Rae-san?"

When she didn't speak imminently, his grip tightened. Rae drew in a sharp breath, body going limp in his grasp. When she answered, her voice was a ghostly whisper. "Crystal, sir."

When his hands dropped, Rae didn't dare move. She held his gaze, didn't flinch when his hand blurred and pain cut through her body. She tasted iron as her head whipped to the side, her jaw and cheek throbbing as Pein said, "Further decisions, Rae-san, are to be approved by me _prior_ to any meetings. Consider this your first, and _only,_ warning. Kakuzu, Hidan, have the two of you dismantled the gate?"

"No, Leader-sama," both men said in union, voices devoid of emotion.

Rae waited for a clear signal that the conversation was clear. When Pein turned and walked away, the tension in her shoulders eased. Then Lexi's arms were wrapping around her leg and Thom threw himself against her front, face nuzzling her inner thigh. Bryn's lips were pressed in a grim line, but the older girl didn't dare say anything. Not in their current company.

Both Hidan and Kakuzu were already gone, when she turned her gaze across the room. All the Akatsuki was, minus Konan and Deidara. The blond shinobi herded the children out of the room, but not before placing a hand on her shoulder and saying, "Don't test Pein's boundaries, Rae-san. It's not worth it."

There was something personal, there. Rae sensed it in the undercurrent of his departing words, her gaze focused on his back until he and the kids (reluctantly) were out of sight. Bryn went after them, at Konan's prompting. When it was only Konan and her in the room, the blue-haired woman said, "Everything will be fine as long as order is maintained."

"Everything will be _fine?"_ Rae stared at the woman, disbelief clear. Did this woman not understand the stress they were all living under? Did she not realize how messed up this entire arrangement was? Jaw clenching, Rae exhaled. Then she said, "Nothing is _fine,_ Konan. My children, my _best friend,_ and I are _prisoners_ in a house that's as fucked up as our situation! None of us _asked_ for all of you to be…to be…to be _teleported_ here. To be threatened and _hurt!"_

Turning and leaving the kitchen was a blur, the older woman saying nothing to her outburst. It seemed Konan was more level, calmer than many of the men she worked with. She was also partners with _Pein,_ which meant she was, most certainly, second-in-command. A notion Rae had nearly forgotten until that very moment, mind whirling as her stomach lurched and a fine sheen of heat spread under her skin. Her fingers and toes started tingling.

When she and the blue-haired woman reached the gate, almost an hour later, the massive, iron-wrought entrance was down and off to the side. A clear path led to where her car was parked, both Hidan and Kakuzu leaning against the side of the vehicle. As they got closer, Hidan pushed off as he snarled at his partner, "You're a stingy old fucker. Asking that bitch to add a few things to her fucking mental list is fucking _genius,_ you goddamn penny pitcher!"

Rae blinked. "Do I even want to know what the two of you are complaining about this time?"

Hidan whirled around, lavender eyes settling on her. His lip pulled back in a sneer, then it fell away to a slow, deadly smile. Rae knew, in that moment, danger was afoot. Konan was a silent presence at her back, unlikely to be any more helpful than the glowering, tall, stich-faced man. It was with a churning gut that she didn't shy away from Hidan when he invaded her personal space, easily towering over her as he grinned.

"Bitch-chan!" Hidan clasped her shoulders in his hands, then one palm came up and caressed the bruise blackening her jaw with loving care. Rae's skin crawled. He leaned in, their noses brushing, their gazes clashing. His breath fanned across her lips as he said, "You're _just_ the cunt I was talkin' about! Speak and she doth appear! I need ya to fucking _do_ something for me. Nothing hard, bitch, so drop the damn look. I've been fucking _behaving,_ Bitch-chan."

"What do you want, Hidan?" Rae leaned away only for his arm to slip around her shoulder. The tall shinobi tucked her against his skin, his hand gliding down her back. Rae scowled, trying to shrug him off as she snapped, "I've been manhandled enough for one day! Damnit, Hidan, get your hands _off_ me!"

Hidan laughed in response. "Ain't happening, Bitch-chan. You're gonna get something for me."

"The _hell_ I am!" Rae pushed his arm off only to find herself slammed into the car, the other two ninjas watching with apparent boredom. What was with these people and bodily harm? Hidan pressed closer, trapping her to the side of the car with his weight alone. Snarling, she pushed against his chest as she asked, "What the fuck is wrong with you people?"

He laughed in response, lavender eyes gleaming with a promise. When a blade kissed the side of her neck, Rae found herself still and hardly breathing. Her gaze was dark, furious, as Hidan grinned down at her before saying, "Here's the thing, _Rae-san._ I'm a fucking _shinobi._ Killing ya would be goddamn _easy,_ even for a fuckin' spitfire like yourself. And I'm fucking _done_ with the disrespect. I'm gonna talk, Bitch-chan. _You're_ gonna fuckin' listen."

It wasn't like she had a choice, at this point. Rae didn't dare move, not with a _blade_ pressed to her throat. Not when Hidan was staring at her neck with a deep-seated hunger in his gaze, his body tensing. Then his gaze was on hers, voice even as he said, "You'll do fuckin' _anything_ to keep your kiddies safe. Leaving yourself open like a damn idiot, Bitch-chan. Works in my favor."

A cold tremor swept through her body, a voice whispering in the back of her memory. Rae felt it rising, a volcano ready to erupt– _hands caressed her sides, a hard thigh sliding between hers. A cold mouth peppered kisses along her jawline, a whisper of danger. "Just do as I say, Raena, and everything will be fine. Long as you obey, I'll treat you like a princess." Tears welled behind her eyes as his hands dropped to the belt of her skirt, her eyes closing –_ from some untouched place within her body. Rage and pain, humiliation long thought left behind, crept closer.

"Let go, Hidan," Rae's voice cracked, her hands coming up to his chest. _"Please."_

The look that crossed his face was hard to decipher, though Rae noted the shock and confusion seconds before she averted her gaze. She could still feel a phantom mouth pressing kisses to her neck, too-hard hands biting into her waist as she said, "If it's within reason, I can get you something while we're in town. We both know, however, that _your_ leader won't appreciate you going behind his back."

Hidan's gaze slid to the blue-haired woman standing a few feet away, her expression masked. It was a breath of time, not even half a minute, before Hidan pulled away. "Fuck, Bitch-chan, fine. I'll play fucking nice. For now, anyway."

"What did you want?"

"Eh?" Hidan blinked, then he scowled. "Fuck! Fuck, what was I gonna say, Kakuzu?"

The stitched man shrugged, a sharp grin crossing his face. "Not my problem if you can't recall."

When Konan stepped up, both men moved away from the car and circled to the front of the entrance-less gate. Rae climbed into the driver's seat, grabbing the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. Konan got in and, after a moment, set a hand on her knee. Rae's gaze snapped to the other woman as Konan said, "Let's get to town, Rae-san. Then we'll talk."

000

 _Rae Lovelace, mother of twins._

 _Alexa and Thom Lovelace, twins in question._

 _Brynlee Gough, mother's best friend and nominated aunt._

Four people, civilians. Unskilled, for the most part. Sasori's mind kept returning to these four people, observations and quiet contemplation whirling in the back of his mind. His expression was bland, uninterested, but his mind whirled. Too many oddities had occurred in such a short time, too sudden to _not_ capture. There was a mystery here, one as sharp as how he was alive after Haruno had succeeded, with _his_ unspoken aid, in killing him.

He could still feel the blades cutting through his heart even in this flesh-and-blood body. When he tapped his fingers along the side of his leg, hidden by the wide sleeves of his cloak, Sasori felt a subtle frown mar his features as slick fabric washed over his skin. He wasn't used to the feeling of clothing, of _sensation,_ through a body-once-deadened.

"Sasori-dana," Deidara fell in step next to him, voice low. Sasori tilted his head marginally, enough for the blond shinobi to know he was paying attention. Hidan's sudden return from the front of the house, the man spewing an impression display of curses was loud and obnoxious. The man never quiet. Deidara snorted, then said, "What do you think about this place, dana? Have you ever come across anything that could explain…?"

When Deidara trailed off, Sasori knew the fair-haired man wasn't sure how to continue. The redhead grunted, voice low as he said, "I have heard of advanced jutsu that could open gates between worlds, but those were generally summons. Few jutsu can bring the dead back, let alone transport so many people to alternate dimensions. Our situation…impossible."

That was the gist of the situation; _all_ of this should be impossible. They, the Akatsuki, should not be in the home of four civilians in an unfamiliar world so _drastically_ different than what they all knew to be real and true. Ahead of him, the Uchiha murmured in response, "What jutsu that do exist that mimic this, that bring new worlds into existence, delve into the mind and illusion. This is too real, to interconnected, to be genjutsu."

Deidara was scowling, but Sasori cut in before the blond could start biting. "How many techniques could create something like this, Itachi-san?"

"A handful, that I'm aware of," Itachi slowed, falling into step next to him, and Kisame drew back so he was on the other side of the raven-haired shinobi. Black eyes stared straight ahead, distant and half-lidded. The Uchiha continued, "My clan was capable of complex illusions, due to the Sharingan, that could trick the mind into believing an illusion is reality. Our situation is not that."

Sasori frowned, gaze shifting back to Brynlee as she dragged the four of them around the vast expanse of land surrounding the main complex. As he filed the information away in the corners of his mind, he watched Thom press up against his aunt, as close to her as he could get, while Lexi was absent. It was a small relief. Few of them knew how to respond to the innocent child, uncomfortable around the youthful, naive creature.

"You're noticing what I did," Kisame mused, voice low enough that only their small group could hear. Deidara snorted, voice low as he snapped, "And what would _that_ be, Hoshigaki-san?"

"Something's not right with these people," Kisame said casually. "The kid has scars. He's mute."

"Plenty of kids are mute, un," Deidara pointed out.

Sasori shook his head, voice soft as he said, "There's nothing wrong with his vocals."

"Meaning?" Deidara was looking between the three of them, gaze landing on Itachi as the Uchiha said, voice low and rough, "Selective mutism. Given the scars, the way he clings to his mother, aunt and sister, his wariness around the rest of us, excluding Konan, suggests trauma."

Deidara didn't say anything after that. Sasori knew the blond was pondering this new piece of information, his own mind whirling in circles as he tried to put together pieces of a broken puzzle. As they made their way through the woods, the question he did ask was one that had them all frowning, "If trauma is involved, why is Thom-san the way he is when his sister is so…innocent?"


	8. 12, July 2018

**A Song of Storm and Fire**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight**

* * *

There were many people Rae didn't want to remember. Many of them she was running from, a constant need to look over her shoulder following her from one town to the next. She had the kids to think about, the law and their dogs always sniffing her trial. Rae tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she drove, mind shifting as new pieces of an even more dangerous game fell into place. One of those pieces sat next to her, arm draped over the door of the car and fingers dancing in the wind provided by an open window.

As they were leaving the bumpy road to the sleepy town, the blue-haired woman finally looked at her. She felt Konan's gaze on her, traveling, slowly, from the side-profile of her face to her shoulders and then to her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. Then those amber eyes were focused, once more, on her face; nothing was said, the silence lingering between them long after they left the county road to the sleepy town far below the mansion.

Rae turned the car down a street, gaze darting to the map resting between them before returning to the street. Hidan, he had pinned her against the car, had pressed a knife to her neck. Rae could still feel the heat of his body over hers, feel the cold metal of the car behind her back. It was an echo of a _different_ memory, one she had thought she had left behind. Some memories, however, always lurked on the edge of the mind – Rae knew that better than most people she knew, but she doubted she could hold a light against the horrors the ninja had committed.

"I've made a lot of enemies," Rae's gaze was on the road as she navigated the small town, and, once they reached the store, she parked the car off to the side of the building in the back. She turned the ignition off, leaning back in her seat as she said, "I got involved in some really bad shit when I was a girl. Didn't know what was what until it was too late."

"By moving from one location to another, finding you is harder," Konan had turned in her seat, her gaze heavy. Rae could feel the silent demand as her hands trembled. She knew the woman was going to discuss what had happened with Hidan, but she hadn't expected it so _soon._

Konan pressed on without pause, "Were you assaulted?"

Rae turned to her, eyes wide. Did she just ask what she _thought_ she had asked? Rae drew in a sharp breath, eyes narrowing as she finally said, "You don't just _ask_ someone you barely know if they were _raped,_ Konan."

"I asked if you were _assaulted,_ Rae-san," Konan leveled a stern look on her and Rae had a distinct impression she had made a grievous miscalculation. When the blue-haired woman pressed on a moment later, Rae knew she was right. Konan was calm, but there was steel in her voice as she said, "If I was asking if you were raped, I would have said as much. However, given your response, I would assume it safe to confirm that as a fact."

"Assault towards women, in this world, takes a sexual undertone," Rae stressed, sick to her stomach as Konan climbed out of the car. Rae followed, locking the doors. When she turned, the blue-haired woman was across from her. "Just because I jumped to that conclusion doesn't mean I _was_ raped, okay? And why the _hell_ do you even want to know?"

"Being assaulted can mean many things, yes, but often defers to a physical attack with the intent of bodily harm," Konan gestured to the store and Rae started moving with a defeated sigh. She kept her silence even as the older female continued, "Sexual assault is personal, the damage internal both in the body and in mind. This is an issue that needs discussion, with you and Brynlee-san. The two of you share a house with a group of hot-blooded men, many of them with urges."

Oh. _Oh._

Rae stared, disbelief clear in her gaze as she said, "No. Not in this world or the next."

Konan didn't look impressed, though she was quiet as she took in their surroundings. She hesitated for a moment as the glass doors to Walmart slid apart, welcoming them with a cold gust of air. Rae grabbed a chart and dropped her bag in the seat as Konan said, "Not all of them are cruel, Rae-san. I would say they are as diverse a group as you could ever hope to find."

"I have no intention of sleeping with _any_ of them," Rae was firm, voice hard. They were criminals, killers for a living. Assassins. Then her lips pressed into a thin line, sighing. Criminals or not, they were an organization. They followed orders, killed who they were told to kill. In that way, they weren't any different than the military or Special Forces. She sighed as they wandered into the clothing section, her voice soft as she said, "I barely know any of them, anyway."

It took some time to find the clothing department (it was in the back of the store, off to the left) and Konan was quick to figure out how the sizes worked. The two exchanged what information was needed before dividing and conquering the need for a _lot_ of clothing. Rae wasn't sure on color choices for the guys, unlike herself and the kids and Brynn, so she picked out general colors– blacks, greys, whites, some dark blues, and greens thrown into the mix.

Pants were easier. Jeans and slacks and capris. They all had their sandals, so she could bring them all to town, a few at a time, over the next few weeks for extra shoes. As her gaze turned to the cart, piled high with _clothing,_ Rae sighed. The clothing alone was a small fortune. It was needed, though she hoped they took better care of their clothing than her two kids.

Medical supplies came and went with rapid interest, Konan showing a great deal of interest in their over-the-counter medicines and ointments. They ended up with a few extras in the cart. They had to swing back to the front of the store to grab another cart to hit the food isles, the two of them working through a workable meal plan for a few weeks that largely consisted of fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. More than a few people were staring at the two of them as they pushed their heavy carts through the aisles, not one of them sure what to make of their load.

The boys would provide the meat from the woods and rivers around the estate, Konan assured her. Zetsu would work on getting a spot for a garden set up, which led them to the outdoor section where hundreds of plants and seed packets, unlimited possibilities waiting for their attention.

As Rae tossed in a series of seeds into the third cart shared between them, Konan finally spoke up. "We should get the others a few things."

Rae turned her attention on Konan as the blue-haired woman bushed her bangs behind her ear, amber eyes firm. When Rae said nothing, Konan continued calmly, "They'd appreciate having something to do in the evenings other than lounging around or bickering at one another. Deidara and Sasori will be the easiest, given they're artists."

"Artists?"

Konan gave a rare smile, voice soft as she said, "Deidara uses clay as a medium in his art and in his ninjutsu. Sasori uses wood, crafting puppets for the most part."

"The others?" Rae prompted, jotting down a few notes as they walked.

Konan hummed under her breath, considering. "Pein likes to read, on his downtime. I'm not familiar with the others' hobbies, but I'm sure we can find something to keep them entertained."

They stopped in the book aisle, finding a few books of poetry and some thinner novels the others could browse should they need arise. She also grabbed a few sketchbooks, coloring supplies, some adult coloring books (one of each, totaling thirteen altogether) and normal ones for the kids, a few books on local wildlife for them to look over, a few puzzle boxes, and then soccerballs and basketballs. She threw some playdough in, a bit of hands-on crafting always a good idea.

Then, carefully considering her words, Rae asked, "I would say getting something for Hidan would be a good idea, given he threatened me. I'd rather be as far on his good side as possible."

Konan blinked. "Hidan is a follower of Jashin, and his _hobbies_ revolve around that."

"Jashin?" Rae echoed, not quite sure what to think. The blue-haired woman nodded, voice soft as she replied, "Yes, Jashin. He is a god whom Hidan worships, though little is known about him other than the fact Hidan kills others in his honor.

"The pendant he wears, it is his god's symbol," Konan led them down another aisle, voice even as she continued without pause, "Hidan is immortal, favored by his god. It is why he is paired with Kakuzu, as the man tended to murder his partners."

Rae didn't ask why, didn't even _want_ to know why the tall, grumpy ninja _killed his partners._ It was something she couldn't wrap her head around. Partners looked out for one another, keeping one another alive in hostile environments. They passed the office supplies, and Rae, blinking, stepped aside to pursue the journals until she stopped at one. She shook her head as she lifted the leather journal from its shelf as a wave of amusement shot through her.

Engraved in the front was an upside-down triangle within a circle. Konan stared when Rae showed it to her, the older quiet as Rae said, "Well, I wonder how our resident priest will react when I give this to him. Think he'll like it? Or will he murder me?"

They checked out, afterward. Rae tried not to feel sick at the total purchase, knowing her debit card was now dangerously low (funds that should have last at least six months, not a few weeks), and pushed the carts to the car. She loaded the bags into the car with Konan's help, the two of them cramming the flimsy bags into every available spot before leaving.

When they reached the road to the estate they were living in, Rae was happy to know she could drive past the gate and park the car in the circle driveway in front of the house. Thom was running down the steps as she climbed out of the car, expression light and happy the moment his arms wrapped around her. Lexi was a few steps behind, squealing as she grabbed her hand and babbled as Tobi trailed after them.

Sasori and Deidara were right behind him, the two of them sweeping down the stairs. Both paused as Rae popped open the trunk and back doors, piles of bags threatening to spill out of the car. Deidara stepped closer, eyeing the mass with narrowed eyes as Konan addressed the three ninja, "Help us unload. Your clothing's in there somewhere."

Deidara groaned but did as he was told, piling his arms with bags as Sasori rounded to the trunk without comment. Tobi bounded up, an endless ball of energy that he was. He loaded both arms and was already making his way up the stairs by the time Rae pulled her first batch from the car.

Both kids grabbed a few bags each, Lexi asking, "Does he _ever_ run out of power?"

"No, un," Deidara stepped over the little girl, grinning. Lexi looked up at the blond shinobi as he chuckled, the little girl's eyes wide and curious. Deidara started up the stairs as he said, "Good thing about Tobi, really. In a fight, the enemy gives up because _they_ can't keep up!"

Many of those bags had goods that needed to be kept cold, which dragged Rae's thoughts to the current issue of electricity. She turned to see Bryn jogging up, right on time. Rae greeted her friend, voice low as she pleaded, "Please tell me there were backup generators."

"Six of them, total!" Bryn swung an arm around her shoulder, then paused as she eyed the car still overly packed with bag after bag of _stuff._ Then the taller girl looked down at her, eyebrows raising as she said, "Cost a fortune, I'd bet. Necessary, though. I got the kitchen up and running, for the most part. Fridge works, deep freezer too."

By the time everything was in the house, Kisame and Itachi, alongside Zetsu, were making their way inside through the kitchen door. Kisame whistled when he saw all the plastic fluttering around the kitchen, eyebrows rising as he leaned into Itachi's side to whisper something in his ear. The black-haired shinobi frowned, lightly inclining his head to whatever his partner said. In the next heartbeat, the blue-skinned man was helping unload the groceries as Itachi took a seat at the table, hands folded in front of him.

Konan was going through the clothing, handing each of the men their new shirts and pants. It was a blessing each of them was thankful for, their clothing stained with sweat and grime. Rae would be able to fix it, if Kisame and Zetsu managed to get the wells started. She turned to the blue-skinned man as she asked, "What's the news?"

"Wells are filled, though it may take a bit before the water reaches the house," Kisame stripped right in front of them, slinging his close-fitting, sleeveless shirt off his body. It landed in the corner, the man stretching before grabbing his clothing. He kept talking as he slipped into a white T-shirt, large hands smoothing over the soft fabric, "They're clogged. Zetsu said there are lines leading to the house, up through the foundation. They're likely connected to the central water source here in the house, in the basement, but can also operate as a backup should the main unit fail. Eh, Bryn-san, you figure out that door yet?"

"Nope, Fish Face," Bryn returned with a grin, a laugh leaving her as the tall shinobi snorted.

Lexi stomped her foot. "Auntie Bryn! His nickname is _Kisa!"_

Kisame groaned, shaking his head. "I'm not sure which is worse."

"He's Kisa," Lexi pointed at Kisame as she said his nickname, and the rest of the room stilled as the little girl grinned. When her finger moved to Itachi, pointing out the dark-haired, Rae knew her daughter was already giving them _all_ nicknames. This was confirmed when she said, "Ita is Kisa's friend. The two are _always_ together. Dara and Ori are artists. They argue a lot."

That was four of ten, and Rae knew it wasn't about to end. Her daughter proved her thoughts correct when she turned to Tobi and Zetsu, grinning as she said, "Tobi is Tobi. Shiro and Kuro make up Zetsu, so Zetsu's just Zetsu. Then there's Kaku and Ida! They _never_ get along. And Kaku threatens to behead Ida _all the time."_

Kakuzu and Hidan both looked unhappy about their appointed nicknames, but neither said anything as all eyes turned on the last two in the room. The leader and _his_ partner, and Lexi shifted from one foot to another before saying, "Pein is known as Leader-sama, and Konan is his right hand? Pein is short. Konan, too, but her name's hard to say…"

Itachi's lips curled into a ghost of a smile as he asked, "Is that why we have nicknames?"

The little, pale-haired child Rae was pleased to call her daughter nodded her head. The little girl kept looking at the blue-haired woman, worrying her lower lip between pearly whites. Rae set a hand on her shoulder, already knowing what, exactly, she wanted to call the older woman. When her daughter looked up at her, Rae said, "Ask her, sweetie. I'm sure she'll be okay with it."

Lexi ambled closer to Konan, shooting wary looks at the ginger-haired man standing nearby, and then looked up at the blue-haired woman. "The last three letters of your name are 'N', 'A', 'N', which spells Nan. Which is close to Nana, which is what I called my caretaker before we left…"

Rae remembered the woman– she was older, stern, but sweet on the kids. She kept them in hand while she worked, when she and Brynlee couldn't be around. Konan was a bit like Nana, with the stern way she treated everyone and how she expected them all to be on their best behavior. As Lexi stared up at the blue-haired woman, Konan hummed under her breath.

"I don't see why you can't call me that," the only female ninja said, amber eyes soft. "I imagine our names can be hard for you to say."

Lexi nodded. "Uh-huh. They smush together. My tongue don't like it."

"Doesn't like it, Lexi," Rae corrected, and the little girl pouted.

When Rae narrowed her eyes, Lexi mumbled, "My tongue _doesn't_ like it."

Rae inclined her head, giving her daughter a soft smile before turning to the mass number of bags filling up the space. Bryn jumped in to help, putting the food away as Rae went through the crafts, overly aware of a long-haired, blond male leaning over her shoulder. The heat of his body covered her back as he asked, "Is that a sketchbook, yeah?"

"Yes, it is, Deidara. Here," Rae shifted, turning to face him. She held it out to him, smiling as his eyes widened and he took the wire bound book from her. She handed another one to Sasori, and then handed them the packets of sketching pencils, as she said, "Given you two are the artsy ones, we thought you'd like these until we can hunt down some materials for you."

She pulled out the books, handing one to Pein as she said, voice even, "For you. Thank Konan."

Pein looked from her to the book in his hand, flipping it open and gaze sweeping over the lines. He looked up at her a moment later, inclining his head as he said, "She may have pointed out my liking to the written word, but it is you spent money to buy these. You have my thanks."

Then the leader of the Akatsuki walked away, book in hand and a stick of celery in his mouth. It took only a moment for her to hand the seeds over to Zetsu, grinning at the half-white-half-black ninja. Nothing needed to be said, not when _both_ sides of his face returned the smile. She set the coloring books on the table, watching as Kisame picked one up with a raised eyebrow. Tobi swiped one, grabbing a box of coloring pencils as he left the room.

After a moment, Rae's hands fell on the journal and she turned to hunt down Hidan. A sense of unease curled through her gut when she caught sight of him, his lavender eyes hard and angry as she crossed the room to him. Swallowing, she caught his gaze with hers before pausing in front of him. When she said nothing, his lips pulled back in a sneer.

Then she exhaled.

"Look, I know you don't like me," Rae shifted from one foot to the next, mind whirling. She could feel the press of his knife against her neck, his weight pressing her against the side of her car. She drew in a calming breath, squaring her shoulders as she continued, "I don't like you, either. We're stuck with one another, for some fucked up reason none of us know about. So, here's a truce."

She held out the journal, voice lower as she said, "I thought you'd like it, given, well…"

Hidan's gaze slid from hers to the book hovering between them. The reaction was instant, his eyes widening and his body going ramrod straight. He didn't hesitate to reach between them, his fingers overlapping hers as he took hold of the leather-bound journal as she said, "Konan said you're a follower of Jashin? I'm not sure if you're able to communicate with your god when you're in a different world, but maybe you can write down your principals or scriptures or something as a makeshift, holy book. Just until you get back home."

The look that crossed Hidan's face was impossible to read, too many emotions for Rae to pick apart. Then he was in her personal space, his bare chest brushing her nose before she craned her head back to look into his eyes. The man was staring down at her, gaze intent. Brighter. Feverish. His hand was still on hers, the journal pressed in her palm as he cradled her wrist.

A slow, wild smile spread crossed his face. "Jashin might not be able to _speak,_ here, but his will cannot be denied. You were fuckin' _meant_ to get this for me. Fuck, Bitch-chan, you have no damn clue what this means."

 _No, I most certainly do not._ Rae wanted to ease back, but some small voice in the back of her head advised her against that course of action. Instead, she offered an unsure smile. Hidan was insane, Rae knew. The man _killed_ people for his god. If Konan was to be believed, the man was immortal and couldn't be killed, something she kept in mind as she said, "I'm not aware of any hidden meanings behind giving you a journal, Hidan. All I know is that it might give you something to do other than terrorizing my kids."

That was the main thing, wasn't it? Hidan scared the shit out of Thom, her son not even wanting to be within arm's reach of the pink-eyed man. Rae found more of the clothing, noticing the pile she was unbundling was Itachi's. She scooped them up and made her way to the quiet male. His partner watched her approach, pale eyes blinking as she stopped in front of them.

"Itachi, here's your clothing."

She stood there while he stared at her, unsure what to do when he didn't move. Then, after a moment, the dark-haired man inclined his head in thanks and stepped forward to ease the bundle from her arms. Rae retreated after that, dragging the board games and the remaining coloring books (a few stolen away by her kids and Tobi both) into the living room. She dropped them on the large table, and then plopped on the chair by it.

Rae felt her skin tingling, felt the headache building. A bad sign, she knew.

Temptation was calling, the stress of the day and her prior escape clear in her mind.

Then there was the tension in the house, thrumming through the walls of the house and coursing through the floorboards. It came and went, pulsing like an overly-slow heartbeat. Rae pinched the bridge of her nose, sight blurry as her eyes slid shut. She knew the hard look she was getting was from the Leader of the Akatsuki, his attention drawn from his poems as a cold tremor swept through her limbs.

Exhaling, Rae opened her eyes to see both her kids in front of her. She smiled. "Mama's not feeling all that hot, kiddos. I'm gonna take a nap. Think you can keep order while I'm down?"

Lexi looked so _serious_ as she nodded, voice low as she said, "Go rest, mommy. Thom and I will be good while you sleep. Can we have some juice?"

Thom placed a hand on her knee, squeezing. His actions spoke more than his words ever did, and Rae stroked his cheek as she said, "Why don't you make some lemonade? I bought some. There are a few gallons of water, too. I'll see you in a bit."

The two kids darted away, but their shadow, Tobi, stepped into her space. Rae stilled as his gloved fingers ghosted over her arm, his voice soft as he said, "You got ill rather quick, Rae-chan, or is there something you're not telling the rest of us?"

Not for the first time, Rae had the feeling _Tobi_ was one of the most dangerous of the group. He was more aloof than the others, in a way. His words said nothing about _him,_ his gentle manners a sharp contrast to the cool and low way he was speaking now. She would almost suspect him of being bipolar if it wasn't for the way his fingers wrapped around her elbows, the tips of each digit digging painfully into her skin when she didn't answer.

Rae gave a strained smile. "If you saw how much all those supplies cost, Tobi, you'd be sick too."

He let her go a moment later when Pein murmured something in a different language, and Rae took that moment to escape from the others. She made her way to the very back of the mansion, past her self-appointed office, and made her way to the only other door in the hallway – a door that rested at the end of the hall, the walls on both sides of the hall peeling as if crying from pain.

She locked the door behind herself and crossed to her bedside table, withdrawing her gun and slapping it on the top before digging through the draw. When she found what she was looking for, Rae clutched the bottle of pills in trembling hands as sweat beaded across her brow. She bowed her head and drew in an unsteady breath, her heart pounding, loud, in her mind. The label was marked only with a series of numbers, ones she knew by heart; they were numbers she was tempted to call upon, skin tingling and head pounding. She closed her eyes instead.

She knew the kids and Brynlee weren't too far off, but none of them would enter her room without knocking. The Akatsuki seemed to be of the same mind, not really wanting to enter her space once they established her as _'nonthreatening.'_ The thought drew a bitter, softly broken laugh as she sank to her knees on the floor.

If only they knew.

Rae stood, dropping the almost-empty bottle of pills on the bed. Dragging her hands through her hair, she fought back the wave of _tension_ rising on the currents of her mind. Too many _'what-ifs'_ were on those waves, her body wired and fingers tapping frantic patterns across her thigh. Her gaze shifted to the pills – _one or two won't make much of a difference…_

The top was popped off and the pills were in her palm when she reined herself in, a curse leaving her lips. She dropped the multi-colored pills without a second thought, staring disdainfully at the ground and the innocent capsules temping her from the floorboards. Expelling the breath from her lungs, Rae swallowed.

"Shit, no. No, no, _no._ Can't do this, not _now,"_ Rae swept them under the bed with her foot, and then capped the bottle and threw it inside the topmost drawer of her bedside table. She eyed the gun, wanted to tuck it in the back of her pants, but knew she couldn't right now. Control was needed, here. There were _magical assassins_ in the house she was assigned to fix. She drew in a shaky breath as she whispered, "Get it together, Rae. Got stuff to do. Places to be. Manor to fix."

She sank onto the edge of her bed, head bowed. When her eyes burned, she smiled.

As the tears silently fell, Rae knew things were only going to get rougher.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

It's been a while since I updated on this story. This sort of story isn't all that popular anymore, so not too many are reading it. Which is fine, really, because I'm writing it for myself. I had this idea in my head for a long while. Rae, though, she's got some demons in her head. We get to see a bit more of them in this chapter, though it was mostly "filler-y" as far as chapters go. Though there is some highlights, some info, some points which help propel the story forward.

For those of you who do enjoy this story, I'm so happy. This chapter is longer than most, and I hope you enjoy the long, drawn-out length because I have no idea how long it will take me to update. This story is _hard_ for me to write. I'm constantly worrying about the characters in it, wondering if they're _okay._ It's been so long since I wrote for Naruto (on a different file, years ago) and writing a series of criminals isn't easy for me at the moment.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed.

Goodbye and Goodday! And Remember: _Favorite, Follow, and Review!_


	9. 24, November 2018

**A Song of Storm and Fire**

* * *

Chapter Nine

* * *

 _'When you cannot touch the sky, turn your gaze to the earth and learn why._

 _More oft than not, the art you need has been left out to rot.'_

 _._

It was an old saying, one Deidara hadn't thought of in a long time. As he sat on the back porch of old, crumbling estate, he was surprised it had sprung up. He rarely thought about his youth, about his teacher, back in Iwa. He preferred to not think about that place, choosing to remember it up in flames as buildings crumbled and people screamed. If he closed his eyes, he could see the explosions that had rocked the very foundation of the city that had forced him to serve them.

Here, in this odd world, sharing a home with his fellow Akatsuki members and the civilians, was an odd experience. Deidara wasn't entirely sure what to think, as of yet. As far as the blond artist knew, the place had no name. Not one that was remembered, not one that was _spoken_ about.

When he overhead Rae-san and Brynlee-san speaking of that, a few days ago (long after Rae-san had emerged from her room after a grocery haul with Konan), and it stuck with him. He and Sasori had spent _another_ day chasing after Lexi-chan; her brother, Thom, had been nowhere to be seen.

Deidara was beginning to wonder about those kids. And what kind of name was _Thom_ anyway?

He had _seen_ how it was spelled. Deidara also knew how it _sounded;_ he pondered on the extra letter to the boy's name. Did Rae-san not realize the boy would get bullied for something so inconspicuous? Children were cruel. Lexi-chan, though, she was sweet. Curious about his and his Danna's art, always eager to poke at them and learn more about _how_ they did their art.

The arsonist sighed and set the sketchbook he was drawing in aside, leaning back on his elbows to eye the dark, starry sky above. He _itched_ to be up there, far above the world and all its issues. To have the wind in his hair and the cold currents against his skin. He yearned for that freedom more than he did his clay and explosions, the second having no place in such a calm environment.

There was something off, though. His mind turned back to the fair-haired, silent boy who was sleeping somewhere in the building. Zetsu often kept an eye on the boy, if not Tobi, though the two said he did little other than read and watch whatever Akatsuki member was watching him.

His mind returned to the conversation he had with Kisame and Sasori no Danna, about Thom and his uninjured vocals. Had the boy been abused? Was he _choosing_ to be mute, like they suggested, and, if so, then why was Lexi-chan so different? Rae-san was guarded, Brynlee-san cautious. It was to be expected, he mused, given _who_ they were sharing a residence with.

And Itachi wasn't all _that_ bad.

Deidara's brows furrowed at the thought, his mind shifting to the quiet shinobi and his blue-skinned shadow. The man's eyes were _always_ black, these days. Rarely a fleck of red. Deidara groaned and ran his hands through his hair, growling under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet. Shaking himself off, he collected his sketchbook (filled with images of the estate, of the ruined rooms, of the Akatsuki members, and of their civilian _hosts)_ and made his way inside.

Itachi wasn't exactly what Deidara _expected,_ not with how easily, and _quickly,_ Itachi had defeated him in battle when they first met. Cocky and self-important. Perhaps it was a _hurried_ judgement, based off of…what? Deidara rubbed at the bridge of his nose, a dull ache building behind his eyes as he made his way up a staircase and down a distant hallway.

His own room was smaller, a second room attached that he intended to use as a studio. He knew Sasori's room was much the same, if not a bit larger. Making puppets required more space, a location to store unused wood and parts of unfinished products and all the tools involved. It was a _delicate_ craft, though Deidara would never admit it aloud. He dropped his sketchbook on the table by the door, a few coloring books resting on the old wooden surface. He paced, for a bit.

He tried coloring, letting the different hues and shades and tints sooth his troubled mind, but, as had been the case earlier, Deidara couldn't _settle._ He made his way downstairs, to the kitchen, and paused when he saw Brynlee-san at the table with a cup of tea in her hands. Her elbows were on the table, her head bowed, and shoulders hunched. Deidara was careful as he approached, his steps loud enough to alert the woman of his presence before he took a seat beside her. She sipped her drink.

"Can't sleep, yeah?"

She glanced at him. "Neither can you, I'd say."

"I haven't been _this_ grounded in a long time," Deidara poured himself a cup of tea, relaxing as the warm liquid glided down his throat. His hands tapped a rhythm across the table, his gaze fixed on the wall as he said, "Leader-sama keeps us all on the move, doing missions and whatnot, and none of us are used to being in one location, _together,_ for an extended amount of time."

Deidara felt Brynlee's gaze on him, her question following, "You don't interact with the others?"

He turned in his seat, propping one arm on the table. "No, I don't. Not often, yeah."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what, hm?"

 _"That!_ You say 'yeah' and 'hm' after saying something, sometimes. Why?" Brynlee's gaze was focused on him, her gaze clashing with his. Her brown hair was mused, so he knew she likely _tried_ to sleep but couldn't. How long had she lain in bed, staring at the walls or ceiling, before coming downstairs? Then he blinked, focusing on her question as she said, "I know you're crazy about your art, Sasori is too, but the way you speak…it's _different."_

"Like your and Thom-san's name?" Deidara grinned as she flushed, blond eyebrows arching.

Brynlee ran a hand down her face. "Yeah, I _know,_ okay? Brynlee is weird. _Thom_ is odd."

"No joke, yeah," Deidara drained his cup, standing fluidly. "Let's go outside, hm?"

He needed to be out in the open, under the sky. Brynlee-san didn't question him, just stood and put her cup in the sink before following him out into the darkness. Her bare feet barely made a sound against the wooden floors, and porch, as they walked. The stairs whispered as they took their weight, welcoming them into the massive yard that was, slowly, beginning to look like a food-forest with plenty of walkways.

Zetsu was a genius with landscaping, apparently. Go figure.

Brynlee-san fell in step beside him. She was quiet, for a bit, and then she started talking. "I was named after my father's sisters, both of them dying when he was a kid. He wanted me to have a bit of them both with me as I grew up."

Deidara blinked, cocking his head to the side so he could catch a glimpse of her face. Brynlee was staring up at the sky, arms crossed behind her head as she continued, "I always wanted it to be Bryn Lee instead of Brynlee, but my dad didn't want to favor one sister over the other."

He hummed in response, a few pieces of a largely unknown puzzle falling in place. "And what about Thom? What's the story behind _his_ name?"

When she hesitated to answer, Deidara made a mental note. "He's named after Thomas, Rae's grandfather. I never met the man, but I do know Rae loved him dearly. His…passing changed her."

Brynlee made no move to continue and Deidara didn't press. He opted to watch her instead, knowing the two of them, and Rae-san, were all _roughly_ the same age. Perhaps that was what made it so _easy_ to talk to the girls, to grin at their antics when they argued. In reminded him of the few friends he had left behind in Iwa, before he became a rouge. Before he killed them when he escaped, their loyalty to the village greater than their loyalty to him and their friendship.

He eased back into the grass, hands folded behind his head as he watched the sunrise. Brynlee settled beside him, laying on her side facing him. Neither said anything. Deidara wondered if she felt the same thing he did – that, out of all the people here, she felt the most _at ease_ around him as he did around her and her little family. As the sun began to rise, he noted she had fallen asleep.

Deidara didn't have the heart to rouse her awake.

.

Rae bustled through her room, dressed in a tank and underwear only. She hunted for her pants, the yoga-like ones she wore when she was too tired to even _think_ about squeezing into a pair of jeans. She found them by the door, tugging them on with a scowl. Then she grabbed her notebook, her laptop, and stuffed a few capped pens into her pockets.

When she swung the door open, Kisame was standing there with his hand raised. The large, blue-skinned man blinked, gaze dropping to her face, and then he snorted out a chuckle. "Good timing, kitten. Leader-sama's wanting to talk to you."

"Why don't you just call him by his name?" Rae was curious about this one little thing, when Pein was in the picture. They _all_ knew his name, but it seemed only Konan spoke to him familiarly. All the others referred to him as 'Leader-sama' or 'Leader.' Kisame hummed under his breath for a moment before he answered, "Just how things are. Most of us didn't really _know_ his name before we got here, not well enough to remember. Zetsu was the messenger and _he_ always told us when we needed to 'report to our leader.'"

Made sense, she supposed. Then she blinked. "Kitten?"

The sharp-toothed grin he gave her was unnerving. "Yeah. _Kitten._ What you remind me of."

"How do I remind you of a _kitten?"_ Kisame battered her question away with a laugh as they made their way towards the kitchen where the man in question was waiting. Konan was there, busy making tea, but Rae knew the woman was paying attention. Rae inclined her head in greeting to the leader of the Akatsuki. "Good morning, Pein. You wanted to talk to me?"

He didn't have to say anything for her to sit, the reminder of his _power_ still clear in her head. She had no desire to get to know the walls on a physical level, not more than absolutely necessary. It hurt, making face-to-wall contact. Or Spine-to-Wall, as Pein was likely to oversee.

The ginger watched her, quiet as he looked her over. "Kisame was speaking of the wells, the other day. Zetsu checked again, and they're still clogged. They both agree it would be best to go to the nearest and see if we can do it manually."

"…okay?"

Rae wasn't sure why he needed her for this, though he kept going. "We all will be going. The others, and the kids, could use the exercise. It's quite a hike."

She understood that sentiment, well enough. Rae also knew this wasn't a question. She, Bryn, and the kids would, whether or not they liked it, be going for a long-ass hike. Given how the others were ambling into the room, some blinking the sleep from their eyes, Rae knew many of them had just roused themselves from their sleep. Tobi was already up, leaning against the counter in a way that suggested he was _observing_ them casually.

Like usual, Rae felt his gaze settle on her. The cold, light weight of her gun, tucked in the back of her pants, offered little comfort when she knew how deadly their chakra was. She knew that what little ground she had obtained was because he was _willing_ to let her have it. Her life, the life of Bryn and the kids, _depended_ on his and his companions _mercy_.

Which, she suspected, they had very little of.

They hadn't outright _killed_ them because they knew it wouldn't make a difference. Rae knew she and the others weren't a danger to these ninjas. Not in the sense Pein and the others thought of when a 'threat' was registered. They didn't have magical powers. They weren't trained in combat.

They weren't helpless, however. Rae and her kids weren't, anyway.

Rae knew Bryn would be okay. She was good at keeping herself out of a deadly situation by being affable. Lexi and Thom, they were kids. The two of them wouldn't register as 'dangerous' to the men, and woman, who they were now residing with. Rae knew the Akatsuki were wrong in the diagnosis of their group, however. There were things in the world which they likely hadn't encountered, the planet itself strange and new and _alien_ to the assassins.

She watched as Sasori came in, Deidara and Bryn behind them. Had they been outside? Rae eyed the woman, catching her eye from across the room. Bryn smiled, a sleepy smile that hinted she had, for some reason, slept _outside_. Apparently Deidara had been with her. Odd.

Pein was quick to brief the others on what they would be doing, quick to order them all to pack supplies. He suspected they would be spending the day outside. Each was responsible for their own pack, to fill it with what they would need. Rae and Bryn grabbed an extra bag, packing the kids their own bottles of water and snacks. Rae added extras into hers, leaving the kids with light backpacks that wouldn't weight them down terribly.

When Rae turned, she nearly jumped out of her skin to find Hidan leaning against the wall by her side. He grinned at her reaction, lilac eyes gleaming with amusement. She scowled at him, then her gaze darted to his hand – the journal she had gotten him, it was in his hand. When he saw her staring, his grinned widened.

"Wanna know what's in it?" For once, there wasn't a curse attached.

Rae eyed the journal, and then the man that was handling it, with a wary eye. "Do I?"

Hidan stepped closer, his feet caging hers, their legs and chests brushing. "I think ya do."

There was a manic gleam in his eye. Swallowing, Rae asked, "Does it have to do with your…faith?"

There was something _there,_ in his gaze. A hunger she couldn't name. Some odd gleam of respect shone in those soft, violet eyes. A shimmer of possessiveness she wasn't comfortable with. He wound an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side as he hauled her out the door. "My faith isn't an easy one. Jashin-sama demands a great deal. Do you know anything about Jashinism, bitch-chan?"

"The term is familiar, though I'm not sure where I've heard it," Rae was careful with her words, letting the man lead her across the growing, massive garden Zetsu spent so much time in. She felt a few of the others watching, knew they were listening in as Hidan said, "Jashinism is more than a _faith,_ Rae-san. It's a way of life. Jashin is the name of my god."

Jashin, a god which Hidan followed. Rae was _sure_ she had heard of it before, aside from the short aside she had gotten from Konan. She knew the others weren't keen on bringing the topic up, and Rae suspected Hidan could get long-winded about the subject if one let him. Her gaze went to his necklace, knowing it was also the symbol on his journal.

"Could I see your necklace, for a moment?" Hidan blinked, staring down at her. Then his gaze shifted to his necklace, frowning as he held it up to inspect it. Staring at her intently for a moment, Hidan seemed to consider the request. Then he slipped it off, voice low as he said, "Be careful, Bitch-chan. You don't want to have a misstep with that in your hands."

Rae took that to heart, not knowing if this Jashin could, somehow, reach them _in another world_.

She'd rather be safe than sorry. She handled the pendant with care, mental notes rising up as she eyed the design and the various things it could mean. Thom and Lexi had caught up, the two staying far enough away to keep a safe distance from the man who had, more than once, threatened them. Deidara kept close to them, Kisame walking beside him with Itachi on his other side. Rae's gaze shifted back to the pendant, a thoughtful frown slipping onto her face.

"It has an interesting design, truth-be-told," Rae tilted it this way and that, looking for marks or inscriptions. There were none. She _felt_ Hidan's attentive demand, and she cleared her throat. She held it up, forced herself to _not_ yank her hand away when his fingers curled around hers so that they were both holding the pendant. "In this world, certain shapes and designs have meanings in groups who have an interest in magic. Two prominent symbols make up this pendant."

Off to the side, Deidara frowned. "Does it?"

"A reversed triangle and the circle, the symbol of water and continuous cycles. Circles also represent ritual grounds, in some places," Rae eyed the symbol, her own innate curiosity rising as she ignored the warmth of Hidan's hand wrapped around hers. "In this case, this would be water, the substance making up all living things, contained within a cycle or within a field."

Hidan's low, rumbling laugh caught her by surprise. "Not fucking surprising, really. Jashin requires a considerable amount of blood scarifies. Most of the rituals _are_ done in a 'ritual circle,' as you fuckin' put it. So, this world has magic? I thought you said it _didn't?"_

Rae scowled. "No, we don't have magic. If this world did, it was a long time ago."

Rae was surprised when Itachi came closer, voice soft as he asked, "Do you know much about how the magic of this world would work, if it did, indeed, exist? Or had existed?"

What a question. Rae considered it, blinking, shocked, when the pendant was draped over her head. The symbol fell and nestled against her chest, the metal freezing against her skin despite the heat around them. It was cold despite it had rested against the Immortal Assassin's chest, the metal cold despite logic dictating it should, at the very least, be _warm_.

"There's a lot of theories," Rae turned her mind away from the pendant, watching, wary, as Hidan moved off to the side to pester his partner. Kakuzu's gaze settled on her, for a moment, before he turned and punched Hidan in the face. Rae wasn't sure _what_ Hidan had said. Didn't want to know, either. She turned back to Itachi, happily taking Thom's hand as she said, "Magic is a rather odd concept, but the general idea is that it runs off of Universal Principals. It doesn't do the impossible, like your chakra-based jutsu does. Some theories state that there are… _subspecies_ of humans in the world, and those who can use magic, like you and the others do, are able to do so because they're biologically _different_ from normal humans."

"Universal Principals?" Sasori pressed.

Rae nodded, mind whirling as she said, "Another difficult topic. Universal Principals are a concept of how the universe works. They're concrete. They can't be altered or changed. They are fact. It's like gravity – drop a ball and it _will_ fall. Like a fire and something will burn."

Behind her, Bryn added, "The gist is 'what you think is what is,' though it doesn't make sense."

Rae tossed a look over her shoulder, eyes narrowed. "That's because you don't have the mind to tackle such a topic."

She turned back to the others, aware of how Tobi was walking beside her as she said, "There are a lot of Universal Laws, though no one can say how many there are. Like Bryn was saying, one of the laws states our reality is shaped by what we think. If we think there's fear and pain and destruction and despair in the world around us, then that's what we'll see. Every person's soul has a _frequency,_ and that frequency is thrown out in the universe. Our moods and our thoughts…"

Rae rubbed her brow, temple pounding. "Gods above, I haven't talked about this in a long time."

Itachi hummed in thought, voice gentle as he said, "What exactly do our mood and thoughts do, according to these Laws of yours?"

Rae carded her hand through her hair. "It changes the frequency. The signal. Bad thoughts turn the energy darker, more negative. Positive thoughts and emotions do the opposite. The theory is the universe senses these signals and, in response, sends back what we send out. If we're thinking about bad things, if we're focusing on it and worrying over it, the universe will notice that's what has our interest. So, it makes…more of it."

"That is an interesting theory," Itachi shifted, their arms brushing, and Rae glanced up at the taller male before she said, "The thought that our reality is shaped by a collective consciousness, that all the bad things in the world could just _go away_ if we learned how to sync ourselves to the same vibration…it's inspiring. It really is."

Tobi's arm brushed against hers. Rae glanced between the two, Itachi to Tobi. They were around the same height, Tobi a tad taller. They both had dark hair and fair skin. Neither were all that talkative. Neither offered up information, not without great caution. As she eyed the two of them, Rae murmured, "It's odd, really, how much the two of you are alike."

When the temperature dropped, Rae knew she wasn't imagining it. Itachi's gaze had snapped to her, focusing on her. A hint of red appeared in his eyes. A hand caught her hip, a broad palm placed over the top of her gun as Tobi hummed thoughtfully. Rae looked straight ahead, knowing Thom had picked up on the tension when his grip on her hand tightened.

"Odd how, Rae-chan?" Tobi's voice was lower, an undercurrent of _threat_ lingering there.

Rae didn't look at him as she murmured, "Just making an observation, Tobi. That's all."

She felt his hand curl around the cold weight pressed against the small of her back, knew that he _knew_ it was there. Itachi was falling back, starting a conversation with Kisame as Lexi ran a circle around Sasori and Zetsu and Konan. She felt Hidan's gaze on her and Tobi, saw his eyes narrowing as Tobi tugged her against his side.

"Careful, Rae-chan. Some observations can have messy consequences," Tobi's voice was that same low register, promising punishment if she didn't step carefully. She knew the threat for what it was. It wasn't the first time she had such an intense air settled over her. Had lived under such threats when she was pregnant with the kids, had continued to live under it for years until she had ran with the children and vanished under the grid. "What _do_ you have, Rae-chan?"

"A precaution," Rae deadpanned, expression even as the hand slid to her side and long, hard fingers curled over the curve of her waist. She swallowed, voice even as she said, "It's best to be safe, when kids are involved. If someone broke in, it's easier to explain to the police the damage compared to how all of _you_ would dispose of the perpetrator."

"Do you think your _police_ would be informed?" Pein's voice was closer than she thought. She looked up and saw him, his expression hard as Rae forced herself to keep walking. That ringed gaze of his swept over her. "From what Tobi said, you're armed."

"As I said, a precaution," Rae's spine jerked upright, chest arching away from the cold fingers ghosting over her spine. Her jaw clenched as she said, "As I said, my concern are forces that aren't easily dealt with. Whatever _arms_ I carry are designed for special purposes."

"You will hand it over."

"I will _not,"_ Rae stopped, forcing Tobi to pause if he wanted to keep his arm wrapped around her waist. The others paused, the kids' eyes wide and worried as Bryn made to step forth. Rae held up a hand to stop her, voice hard as she said, "We all know that _nothing_ we have would make much a difference against you and yours, Pein. We couldn't run even if we tried. You'd have us caught before we got through the door. I will not wander around unarmed when there's a possibility there is something _sinister_ lurking on these lands. I will not shrink from my duty as a mother, especially not with the type of work I do."

When his hand wrapped around her throat, she refused to flinch. She felt his chakra pushing against her, pressing on her limbs, from all sides. She felt the tension in her chest, her breath restricted by his whim. She refused to struggle, to fight, as her gaze narrowed on him.

"You will hand over your weapon or I'll have it taken from you," Pein's voice was calm, but the tightening grasp of his 'Invisible Hands' increased. He kept his hand around her neck, palm pressed flat against the front of her throat. Firm and steady. He stepped closer, voice even as he said, "Trust me, Rae-san, you will _not_ like having your weapon removed by force. Several of my members are quite eager to put you in your place. Defy me, and I'll let them."

"Mama?" Lexi's eyes were wide, too bright to be good. Her daughter was about to cry.

Rae's eyes narrowed further. She couldn't speak even if she wanted to. The grip he hand wouldn't let her, nor would the pressure. She suspected a beatdown was exactly what he had in mind, that or he didn't _want_ a verbal response. One of her hands was free. Her fingers curled into a fist.

Thom's face pressed against her stomach. In that moment, she knew, without a doubt, _he_ was in the same field she was. The same power pressing on her, it was also on her son. Rae felt something in her shift, felt it uncoiling within her the same moment she sensed Tobi's body tense and Thom's sharp, pitched inhale of surprise. Rae's felt her skin prickling, the hairs on her body rising as heat flooded her system and something hot, something _ugly_ and _unholy_ flex against restraints she had placed a long time ago.

Something she suppressed with drugs, with the occasional sharp pain at the edge of a blade.

Pein's eyes widened, his grip slackening, guard disrupted, and then her hand was wrapped around his wrist. Her grip tight, an internal scream ripping through her braid with an inhuman, ungodly, unwanted roar sounding in the back of her thoughts. The skeletons hiding in her closet, the demons which lurked under beds. As she stepped forward, away from Tobi and his hand, her voice was low and hard when she finally got her vocals under control.

"Using your _magic_ on me is one thing," she hissed, enraged. Pein's expression hardened, but she pressed forward, stepping into his personal space, Thom running to his sister's side now that the power had shifted. She felt Tobi at her back, sandwiching her between him and his boss, felt the sharp press of a knife at her throat, as she whispered, "Turning that power on my _children_ is something I will _not_ tolerate, _Pein-sama_. Not from Hidan, not from you, not from _anyone."_

When the earth around them groaned, birds taking to the sky, the air vibrating with power, Rae tensed. She shifted, mindful of the knife, gaze tracking the birds as they flew off in every direction. It wasn't towards the house, she realized. It was in the direction they were heading, something that was _responding_ to the rage burning through her veins.

She felt it in the air, felt it in the way the ground groaned under their feet.

In that moment, she twisted, knocking the knife from her throat, gun pulled from the back of her pants, as she yelled, "Thom, Alexa, behind Brynlee! _Now!"_

Pein reached for her, fury in his eyes. Then an echoing scream tore through the silence, seemingly coming from every direction as Rae hissed, "You wanted to see these _ghosts_ I spoke of? Well, now you _will._ I do hope you're happy."

Lexi screamed when the earth surged, the ground splintering as Bryn grabbed both kids and dove to the side. Rae pulled the gun up, breathing in as she focused on the cold metal held in her hands and the cold metal of the pendant resting over the swell of her breasts. The others came closer, looking around them in surprise, their hair standing up on end.

Bryn's voice was low as she asked, "What do you think the rank is, Rae?"

When the cold, thick mist spread across the ground, spilling out from some distant source, Rae didn't have to answer. It was nearing noon. There shouldn't _be_ fog, not at this time of day. It shouldn't be so cold, their breaths turning to clouds of crystalline white.

Both she and Bryn knew what that meant, had dealt with forces of power this high before.

Rae exhaled, voice low as she said, "We're dealing with a hostile R5. And it's coming for us."

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

It's been so _long_ since I've updated this story. I wasn't entirely sure where I wanted to go with this, once I got back to it. I introduced bits and pieces of the story, but I hadn't actually _set it up_ in a way I was happy with. However, I do like this story. The Akatsuki is a bit hard for me to write, actually. I'm never sure how to go about it, truthfully. They're apathetic to violence. They murder people for a living. However, while they are cruel, because that's just _who they are,_ I don't think they would be violent toward others _outside_ of their operations without good reason. They wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves, I'd say.

At the same time, they won't take insubordination well. Which Pein displays well, here, before the second part of Rae's job decided to rear its head.

I also know a few people had an issue with Brynlee and Thom's names, but there is a reason for them. This chapter explains it. The names I picked, I picked for a reason. When it comes to names, they generally have some kind of hidden meaning that may (or may not) be a part of the story. Those names, are indeed, part of this story and have a play on who the characters are.

I also find it interesting that Hidan's "pendant," which is the symbol for Jashinism, is, in fact, the symbol of _water_ within a magical field. Casting "magic circles" is a common notion when it comes to magic. Circles do represent the 'Circle of Life,' as well, which is why I pointed that out in this. I find it interesting that Hidan's faith has a symbol that's rather loaded - blood is also considered to a 'water-based element,' which makes sense given he kills people are tasting their blood within a ritual circle. I have a few ideas for this, but, for now, this is what I was able to come up with. After months of writing.

So, yeah, I hope this is good. I'm not sure what to think, at the moment.

Frustrated, mostly, but proud regardless.


End file.
